I have a new blog posting up! Enjoy!

[Javaman]

http://suburbandweller.blogspot.com/2012/05/okay-i-think-im-buzzedpart-4.html

[irisblue]

1. wow...your knees...

...wonder if that will that drive the curious. close enough for me to bees

[Javaman]

4. Well, like a bee keeper once told me...

if you keep bees expect to be stung. But honestly, it was my own fault. For the most part, the bees are pretty docile. They do what they do and if I don't knock the hive, they pretty much leave me alone. They only time they are at any level of agitation is when I have to inspect the frames. Can't blame them really.

[bif]

2. Cool. We're thinking of raising bees behind our garage.

A friend knows this guy who lives in an apartment and is looking for a location.

[Javaman]

3. Check the local regs before you invest in a hive...

Here in Austin, it's pretty easy. The main requirements are the distance from the hive to your neighbors has to be at least 25 feet. And I needed to have the entrance to the hive facing a fence. (that's so when they swarm out to collect nectar, they swarm upward and not straight out.

As far as a hobby, it's pretty low maintenance. After the installation, I open the hive only once a week (pull out the frames for inspection) and feed them about every other day. (now that the nectar is running, the feeding has gone down to about every 3 or 4 days and hopefully, they will be self sustaining soon).

I do look forward to checking out the hive each week. It's neat to watch the progress.