Author Topic: How much for a working hive? (Read 4852 times)

Bionic · « **on:** March 11, 2012, 05:41:24 pm »

We have been given the name of someone who has two colonies for sale.

She will sell the bees seperately from the hives if we wish. OH has been to see them and said the hives aren't anything much. Hand built to a national plan but not in particularly good condition.

How much do you think the colonies would be worth, with and without the hives?

We do have one empty hive of our own that is crying out for occupants.

thanks
Sally

Sudanpan · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2012, 08:40:52 pm »

Hi
In our neck of the woods it seems that a starter nucleus (no hive) can be anywhere from £160 to £230 ish depending on the time of year. I am a complete newbie to the beekeeping world, in that we haven't got any yet(!) but that is what my research came up with
HTH
Tish

anderso · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2012, 01:28:51 am »

Price - depending on the number of frames in the coloney - I would offer no more then £120 with the hive throwen in to transpot them home. then to transferr to your own hive and have the old one for a back up.

remember when people are saying the big prices that is normally a nuc of 6 frames from a breeder like Thones / Maisemore

anderso · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2012, 01:36:07 am »

sorry forgot - how do you know it is a working hive as the working year is only just starting (just thought)

Bionic · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2012, 04:18:42 am »

Thats a good point anderso but as its warm the bees have already started flying although its still too early to look inside.

These hives have been running for the last 5 years and apparently last year the lady got 30 lbs of honey from each hive.

Sally

Anke · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2012, 09:02:52 pm »

Only buy these bees if you a) get an independent but local beekeepers opinion on the beekeeper in question, and b) have an independent beekeeper examining the colony in the next month or so to see if it is actually viable. Also get the beekeeper to give you a CURRENT varroa count and what she has done with regard to varroa treatment in the autumn. If she is evasive on either an independent inspection by another beekeeper and/or the varroa situation, stay well clear.

As you are fairly new to the area I would join the local beekeepers group for a year first to see how the locals manage theirs before jumping in at the deep end...

Bionic · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2012, 07:11:00 am »

Anke,
We have recently joined the local beekeeping club and it was their secretary that put us in contact with this lady.
She wants to sell because she is in a row of terraced cottages and her neighbours are very jittery abput having the bees around.
There is some varoa in the hives but they have been treated. I am not sure of all the details but OH has the full run down.
Thanks for the advice
Sally

Anke · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2012, 10:11:32 pm »

That sounds ok to me.... given that beekeeping is now quite fashionable there are a few frauds out there... and bee hives get stolen and then passed on quickly... mostly to new beekeepers...