FREE BEES!

I'm living the dream.

This is in Manchester, I might go for it.

I've always fancied beekeeping.

Alright, I expressed my interest.

I'll update here when the time comes.

>>570

you can have the bees that are living in our chimney if you want..

I've spent the last few weeks in an ecologically progressive community who are very much into this sort of thing. There is also a famous quote by Rudolph Steiner about how important bees are.

I would enjoy this greatly - and if fiction has taught me anything recently, it's that if the bees disappear, everyone dies.

I don't know how the allotment board feel about keeping bees though. Might worry the goats.

>>588

I've seen them on alottments before. It's probably one of those things that is only a problem if someone wants it to be one, and as most gardening/allotmentfags are people like us it should be unlikely.

>>588
You'd think any allotment group would be well up for it.

>>590

You'd think, but mine is operated by a group one step away from being the neighbourhood watch alliance from Hot Fuzz. It seems like something they might oppose simply because the hives might spoil the view of their courgettes.

>>602

It's sad that people like that exist, let alone ruin something as lovely as gardening.

>>603

Or maybe it's the people who don't want an entire hive of bees sitting next to their plants and risk the possibility of causing a swarm uprising if they step on one by accident.

>>611
Bees aren't wasps. They're not predisposed to attacking people.

>>618

This is true, but the people who would worry about it and potentially kick up a fuss are the same sort of people who are more worried about are maddie/pedos/islams and other stuff than real issues.

>>618
>>620

Think of the children. What if are maddie disturbed the nest and was stung and killed? Bees should be banned. They are dangerous animals that no one should own.

>>632

Yes our boys would have to bomb them.

I'm going to bump this thread due to rising interest in bees and free bee schemes in /b/.

How does it work? Where do you keep the bees? DO you keep the bees or go somewhere and look after them?

>>859
I think that you keep them wherever suits you.

>>859 You need to find someone to provide you with a nucleus of a colony. I don't know exactly, but it's probably around 500 bees or something.

You can keep them in anything, but certain structures suit them better. The classic beehive is a box with vertical drawers inside. On the drawers there are plastic (I think) sheets with a hexagonal pattern on them, which the bees use as a pattern to build their chambers. This gives the beekeeper easy access to all parts of the hive. The entrance/exit is usually a long wide opening at the bottom of one side of the box. I don't know why.

>>860
hmm, could be a problem. I live above an off licence, and have no garden.

I'm due to "graduate" soon, but won't be able to get a job in the industry. This bee-keeping dealie seems kushty, two day training, then guaranteed job.

EDIT :

http://www.co-operative.coop/ethicsinaction/takeaction/planbee/what-The-Co-operative-is-doing-for-bees/Research/hives-on-allotments-/

>>keeping hives in Manchester Parks

Excellent. Go down to a park, mess about with a few bees, get job. Sorted.

>>862
The local zoo manages to keep beehives inside. All you need is a pipe, not unlike a boiler flue, straight from the hive to the exterior. It can be easiest to do this by putting a plastic drainpipe through the window.
To be quite honest, the park would probably be easier, but, seeing as I'm unsure of the finer points of your situation, I thought I'd share that anyway.

>>863

I've seen this in a couple of zoos as well.

I saw one of Huge Fearnley Whittingstall's telly programs once and there was a teenager in central London who had hives on a sort of roof terrace thing, it might have just been a roof, I'm sure I can remember them climbing through a window to get to the hives. And this lad reckoned his honey was better than most because of all the different types of pollen around because of people growing more different types of plant and more exotic plants in the bees range.

>>865
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8w2ro_urban-beekeeping-river-cottage-spri_lifestyle

This one? Relevant segment starts about 2m in.

KILLER BEES! THEY WILL TAKE OVER!