Hobbies? Wanna-bee beekeeper!

[Lorelei072]

I've wanted to embark on beekeeping since last year but stymied by housing issues. Now that I'm stealth-camping in a van, I'm thinking of applying the same principles. I'm on the lookout for one of those 4-foot tall steel shelters that are used to house major electrical systems. If one is being disposed of or unused, I think I could use that for a stealth hive. Imagine someone going near a steel electrical system housing and finding it full of bees! 

 

[maki2]

Lets not be too hasty and bash this concept without understanding the subject matter. None of us know everything about everything and this one might just surprise you in that it can be done. But not by constantly driving around. It is done seasonally when their food source is available in certain areas for particular crops be it orchards in bloom or field crops. The hives are delivered to the fields at the right time then moved to an area where there is a new crop coming into season. Many nomads do choose an area to stay in for a month or two at at time so this scheme could well fit into that type of van dwelling. You really don't have to be "stealthy" about it as it can be done as a business.

"Migratory pollination is the way the majority of beekeepers make money—over two-thirds of the US honey bee population gets trucked across the country from season to season. It's the only way for many beekeepers to survive. ... Migratory pollination is a massive industry."

However there are many in that industry who think it is not a good way to raise bees as it can lead to various health issues such as exposing a healthy colony to new diseases when moving them to a new location.

I am sure the poster will take the time to research the concept in depth before he begins. Including the issues with housing bees in a metal structure such as insulation because metal absorbs a lot of heat in direct sun and also the need for proper ventilation. As well as having easy access to the honey combs.

I am not expert on the subject of bee keeping I just have a curious mind and I was into plants and gardening and of course bees are a part of the world of gardens. But I built boxes for birds rather than hives for bees. But I am a fan of the very ornate bee hives one can see in some European countries around the late 1800s. But when looking for an image to share I came across an ornate hive that has new technology in it that lets the honey flow out of the hive without having to remove the comb. It is patented, it was funded by a kickstarter campaign and is one of the success stories as it really is useful! https://www.honeyflow.com/about/about-flow/flow-story/p/122

 

[RoamerRV428]

It can't be driven around with abandon

It would have to be in a stealthy mostly permanent location.

from beekeeping site: Bees perceive the hive entrance as a GPS coordinate in space. If they arrive there and don’t find the entrance, they will not be able to get back in the hive and will ultimately die before their time.
For this reason, if you must undertake moving a hive, it must be moved less than three (3) feet or no more than two (2) miles. I can’t emphasize this enough. Never move a hive more than three feet but less than two miles to avoid bee confusion and death.


So what is your stealth camping? Are you staying in the area mostly and stealth out your hive and visit it every now and then? Like in a state park or somewhere else, just put up a hidden personal hive? Stealth it out

I actually have to say I am not sure what you want to do

Metal might get too hot?
How to hang the honeycomb things?

I would think this would take a lot of reading before adopting and trying I guess! best of luck tho on what you decide

 

[highdesertranger]

I used to raise bees. yes there is the pollination thing where you move hives but moving hives is not just jumping into your vehicle and driving them from point A to point B. there is a whole process for moving bees. also it's done at night, you don't move bees during daylight.

also how do you plan on going shopping getting or getting fuel or anything else you need to run to town for. it ain't happening if you have a hive attached to your vehicle. Bees are worse than a dog for limiting what you can and cannot do.

best to really think about this, it's not all flowers and honey.

highdesertranger

 

[Lorelei072]

I'm not sure how you all got the idea that I said I'd be driving around in a van full of bees or attach a large electrical enclosure to my van. How would that be stealth lol? 

I don't currently travel but circulate overnight parking spots in the town where I work. There are a number of abandoned houses nearby and I'd just have to find a spot where I could slip in and out unnoticed.

Metal might now be the best for a hive, but I could possibly cover a wood hive with an electrical enclosure or simply use a fiberglass electrical enclosure.

Flow hive is a good idea but there are some problems with it. I'd stick with one of the more traditional hives.

 

[Lorelei072]

The OP didn't give enough information to really know what your intentions were. I'm still not sure to tell the truth.

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I'm surprised this needs to be spelled out TBH.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]It never even occurred to me to attach an electrical enclosure to my van and drive around with bees. I don't think that's feasible or stealthy. Having an electrical enclosure attached to a van would negate any aspect of van or hive [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]stealth.[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]It would attract a lot of attention and many bees would be lost. The lost bees would be the ones harvesting nectar and feeding the hive. The hive would starve if the feeder bees couldn't return.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Seeing some nearby electrical enclosures gave me the idea that bees can possibly[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] be housed inside with some adaptations. That wouldn't include attachment to any sort of vehicle. I see electrical enclosures to be associated with protecting [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]outdoor electronics and air conditioners. They are large enough to house a hive and remain stationary where they are installed. In the right place, people wouldn't think twice about an electrical enclosure.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I guess someone could think an enclosure is being transported to a site if it's attached to a van, but that perception wouldn't work in my circumstances of driving a '92 GMC large-windowed[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] conversion van,[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] working in retail, and overnight parking in shopping centers. Wouldn't it be better to transport a 4-6 foot electrical enclosure *[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]inside*[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] a van or box truck rather than attached to the outside of a van, anyway?[/font]

 

[maki2]

Not everyone who lives in a van doing cheap RV living is camping in a city on the streets so that means they won't understand your circumstances without a bit of explanation of what your van life routine is like. The forum encompasses many people who have a wide variation on their cheap RV living styles. Some range only a few miles, some travel very long distances, many migrate north to south and east to west to try to be in a moderate climate temperature.

From what I have seen regarding the postings in the forum the migrating van dwellers are more typical than the city dwellers who range within a few miles radius. That is certainly true of the people interviewed in the videos on the youtube channel of Bob Wells. But then again he is mostly doing the interviews at the RTR and also at various BLM types of campsites. Those videos are often what brings in new forum members.

 

[highdesertranger]

"I'm not sure how you all got the idea that I said I'd be driving around in a van full of bees"

maybe because of the forum your on.

"I'm surprised this needs to be spelled out"

I am not surprised at all. yes you need to spell it out. this is a very unconventional idea for us, in fact I believe it is the first time it has ever been brought up. so yes spell it out. like I said I use to raise bees I might be able to recall a little about them.

so tell us more. even you intro didn't give us much to go on.

highdesertranger

 

[maki2]

I am still trying to imagine living in a van that has a beehive full of pet bees in it. You would have to be a chain smoker to make it work. But I guess they do go to sleep at night so that would help. Easier to keep a pet tarantula for a hobby than to keep bees.

 

[Lorelei072]

Okay, you probably didn't read past the 1st sentence. Living in a van with bees is probably a bad idea and not what I was suggesting. I was talking about a stealth hive in an electrical enclosure, not a van...

 

[Lorelei072]

"I'm not sure how you all got the idea that I said I'd be driving around in a van full of bees"

maybe because of the forum your on.

"I'm surprised this needs to be spelled out"

I am not surprised at all.  yes you need to spell it out.  this is a very unconventional idea for us,  in fact I believe it is the first time it has ever been brought up.  so yes spell it out.  like I said I use to raise bees I might be able to recall a little about them.

so tell us more.  even you intro didn't give us much to go on.

highdesertranger

I elaborated on pg 1 about keeping a hive on one of the many abandoned properties near me, particularly a defunct retail store with a space to pull off the road.

 

[lenny flank]

 Easier to keep a pet tarantula for a hobby 

Well, now that you mention it.....

https://www.amazon.com/Tarantula-Owners-Guide-Happy-Healthy/dp/087605601X

 

[RoamerRV428]

only thing is you could lose your hive fast if discovered. you would be putting your stealth hive on private property. then you draw attention to it every time you 'visit your hive' while you are on the move.

is this what you are wanting to do?

 

[highdesertranger]

I have to agree with Roamer on this. putting the hive on private property is not the best idea. using the term abandoned property really isn't the best choice. just because a property is not being used at this time doesn't mean the owner "Abandoned" the property. highdesertranger

 

[RoamerRV428]

yea it would be like growing pot on some farmer's currently not used crop fields well not that bad but ya'll get the point LOL

 

[jacqueg]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I'm surprised this needs to be spelled out TBH.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]It never even occurred to me to attach an electrical enclosure to my van and drive around with bees. I don't think that's feasible or stealthy. Having an electrical enclosure attached to a van would negate any aspect of van or hive [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]stealth.[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]It would attract a lot of attention and many bees would be lost. The lost bees would be the ones harvesting nectar and feeding the hive. The hive would starve if the feeder bees couldn't return.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Seeing some nearby electrical enclosures gave me the idea that bees can possibly[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] be housed inside with some adaptations. That wouldn't include attachment to any sort of vehicle. I see electrical enclosures to be associated with protecting [/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]outdoor electronics and air conditioners. They are large enough to house a hive and remain stationary where they are installed. In the right place, people wouldn't think twice about an electrical enclosure.[/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I guess someone could think an enclosure is being transported to a site if it's attached to a van, but that perception wouldn't work in my circumstances of driving a '92 GMC large-windowed[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] conversion van,[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] working in retail, and overnight parking in shopping centers. Wouldn't it be better to transport a 4-6 foot electrical enclosure *[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]inside*[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif] a van or box truck rather than attached to the outside of a van, anyway?[/font]

My question then is what is the point of a metal enclosure at all? Beekeepers avoid metal and plastic enclosures for good reasons!

I understand about wanting to keep bees, I've experimented a bit with bee keeping as well. As I am a fanatic gardener, I've been struggling with the idea of giving it up for van travel. Currently, I am toying with the idea of having a somewhat regular annual route, with seasonal visits to gardens on other peoples' (friends and family) land. Maybe you should explore the idea of placing hives on the land of people you know?

I wonder how much experience you really have with bees if your first thought is to keep them in a metal enclosure. Bees are very creative, and I've no doubt that a few hives have been built in metal spaces, but other conditions of heat, prevailing wind, and humidity would have to be correct for the hive to survive. And of course, bees don't always get it right.

As for traveling, as others have noted, bees are very oriented toward terrain. Every time you move, you will lose some, maybe quite a few. Then they have to invest time reconnoitering their new territory, in order to find the best sources. They have only a limited time to gather pollen and nectar, since plants are seasonal. Not to mention the fact that, as pro beekeepers know, you run the risk of exposing them to diseases. Honestly, I think it would be quite a trick for them to build a strong hive while they are "on the run" so to speak.

 

[wayne49]

Herding bees back into the mobile hive to break camp.