Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: New beekeeper looking for gear!  (Read 2468 times)

Lorenza

  • Joined Feb 2016
New beekeeper looking for gear!
« on: November 15, 2016, 03:39:15 pm »
Hi all.

Me and my partner are currently doing a bee keeping course and are looking to get set up ready for a nucleus next year, but are on a budget!

We love second hand stuff! So my question to you all is;

Does anyone in the North West wales area have any second hand bee keeping stuff they would be willing to part with for a price? We need everything!

Preferably a national hive.

Bee suits, we will only be interested in Sheriff full suits. Size Small and XL. Willing to buy them new if no one has any.

Many thanks in advance to all who read and reply!

Lorenza-Lee :)

Bionic

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Talley, Carmarthenshire
Re: New beekeeper looking for gear!
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2016, 04:54:52 pm »
Lorenza,
We don't have anything suitable but have you tried your local bee keepers club?
Life is like a bowl of cherries, mostly yummy but some dodgy bits

Lorenza

  • Joined Feb 2016
Re: New beekeeper looking for gear!
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2016, 04:58:24 pm »
We are with the local club, but we haven't heard of much yet.

Ta

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: New beekeeper looking for gear!
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2016, 01:16:42 am »
Hi all.

Me and my partner are currently doing a bee keeping course and are looking to get set up ready for a nucleus next year, but are on a budget!

We love second hand stuff! So my question to you all is;

Does anyone in the North West wales area have any second hand bee keeping stuff they would be willing to part with for a price? We need everything!

Preferably a national hive.

Bee suits, we will only be interested in Sheriff full suits. Size Small and XL. Willing to buy them new if no one has any.

Many thanks in advance to all who read and reply!

Lorenza-Lee :)

 I know you have said full Sherrif Bee suits what's that these days £ 360 for both suits  ?? ....
 Do what I did ...if you are on a budget . Buy a stiff wide brimmed straw hat , sew black dyed net curtain round the brim or modify a full face old crash helmet with the use of sticky back velcro etc by making a black net bag that is about 700 mm long so it can be put over the helmet and tucked securely into you overalls  .
 

Allow the length of the netting to be long enough to be able to tuck in in the neck of a pair of zip up " Dickies"  overalls , Sew the pockets of the overalls up
 cut up an old sweater and use the elasticated cuffs ontnh overalls .
 

 Bees tend to climb upwards so tuck the legs of the overalls in wide topped  wellies without much more over hang than allows you to kneel down shoud the need arise .
Avoid kneeling if possible , as you can trap bees in the back of your knee ..OUCH !

 Make sure the overalls are quite a lot bigger than you for if it's cool you may well want to wear a jumper under them .  If it hot tough wear a cotton shirt & under tht a long sleeved cotton Tee  shirt .
 
That's usually enough to stop most stings reaching you save for very very angry golf ball sized bumbles bees . ( guess how I know?  )


 If you're being told to only wear a white bee suit  take it in one ear and let it go out the other PDQ .. My last suits were thick ex mod camo poly cotton overalls that got washed about once a month If my lass was feeling  generous & / or got fed up of the sweaty stink of them in the shed .

 It's a good idea to inspect each other if there are two of you suited up before starting work and also after doing your keeping tasks , just to make sure there are no bees on you that you might get stung from , such as around your head , under your arms ,  on your back or in folds of the suit material . 
If you are on your own & have privet hedging  or Leylandi sapling it's not a bad idea to walk backwards between two of the trees/shrubs with your arms up & then  walk forward through it again , this time with them down as it also helps remove any bees on you.


 I had a pal , a bee inspector at that , do the walk through the bushes thing one sunny late April afternoon and he walked right through straight into a four foot long prime swarm ... he should have checked the hedge first .
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS