WHERE TO GET YOUR BEEKEEPING EQUIPMENT, BEE COLONY (INC QUEEN) AND
INDIVIDUAL QUEENS FROM.
INDIVIDUAL QUEENS FROM.
Getting Started in Beekeeping (pdf) This 7 page article written by Colin Goodwin is packed with information to help you. From working out if beekeeping is for you through to setting up costs.
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WHAT DO YOU NEED TO START KEEPING BEES?
The club has members who are suppliers of beekeeping equipment. Other suppliers in and around Melbourne can be found easily on the internet. |
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Where can I get all the gear from?
For your hardware and protective gear there are a number of beekeeping suppliers in the South Gippsland area which include: Jeeralang Apiary Supplies run by Stan Glowacki Hill Top Hives run by Peter Gatehouse: Fisher's Beekeeping Supplies run by Robert Fisher Further afield is: Redpath's Beekeeping in Parkdale, Melbourne. Contact details can be found either in our newsletter or Google 
Beekeepers wearing half suits with zipper attached veils, leather gloves with cotton gauntlets.
In situ are 2 hives with 2 brood boxes and a honey super on top of each one.
A smoker is being carried as is a spare box. This is used to store frames while hives are being checked.
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How do I get bees?
To get your first lot of bees you can make inquiries with suppliers within the club (as listed) but also through the Nuc List and Swarm List within the club as listed on the Club Services page. (The advantage with collecting a swarm is that it is free.) When can I get bees? The best time of year to order your first colony of bees and new queens is in the autumn or early winter. This is the time to get your name onto the order or waiting list in preparation for the next bee season which begins with massive hive growth in early spring. There are many bee colony and queen suppliers all over the country but it's best to get your bee colonies from a supplier as close to you as possible to ensure that they are acclimatized to local conditions. What if I just want a queen? There are queen breeders in Victoria but sometimes a particular race of queen or unavailability in general may mean that you have to order from NSW or Qld. Queens travel well and can be posted across the country with no ill-effects if treated appropriately. When your queen bee arrives you may not be able to put her into the hive straight away but as along as she and her attendants are kept in a darkish place at a warm room temperature and given a drop or two of water each day, they will be fine for up to 7 days. |