Done deal bees

spose

Looking at possibly starting with bees next year. Just curious about any advertised on done deal. Is sourcing from someone listed on the nihbs website the only way to go or is there watch outs for those on done deal?

Thud

Join your local association first, you’ll learn a good bit from them and they may have give you a better price for a nuc and you will know where it came from

Danzy

Don't buy the cheapest ones on donedeal. Thrown together nucs.

Apiarist

spose wrote: »

...Is sourcing from someone listed on the nihbs website the only way to go...

Best things in life are free

- Join the local association. Some (like FNDBKA) would normally provide a beginner with bees after completing the course.
- Attract a swarm (now is the great time to do it). Build a plywood/wood/plastic box of ~40 liters in volume with a small single entrance (1 cm x 5 cm), add a frame with wax foundation + a drop of lemongrass oil. If you already have a hive, put the hive out with 1-2 frames and lemongrass oil. You can increase your chances if you have several boxes in different locations, or if you use special swarm attractant.

Rougebladez

Try and get Native irish bees. They should be more prone to surviving our weather.