Bees - Stingless or Not for pollination???

[Wendara Farm]

I have a big problem here with my vegetable patch with pollination. We have struggled in the past with not enough bee activity so I am thinking of getting our own.

So, my question is - stingless or stinging bees? I was thinking of getting a hive of stingless and putting them in the vegetable area but will they be enough to pollinate??? It is a huge area and I'm really not a fan of stinging bees - I always get stung! Has anyone done this is stingless and had good success with pollination rates as the hives are very expensive if they don't work as I want them too.

Thanks!

 

[Mark]

Hey!

I'm also not "ready" to keep stinging bees I have thought about it but I don't think I could justify the time and cost for gear etc atm.

However, I do keep about 10 native stingless bee hives here on our 3 acre block and I love them! They are all my uncles hives so I don't own them; however, he is breeding his stocks up and ran out of room at his place so lucky for me I'm part of his expansion project

Since getting the extra beehives we've seen an increase in bees around the garden (naturally because they have to eat) and we definitely do not have any issue with pollination of crops! I would recommend them personally and once you have one you can split them like @stevo did here http://www.selfsufficientculture.com/threads/native-bees-splitting-native-bee-hives.391/ and expand your hives so that you have several placed around your property.

My uncle is intending to sell native bee hives once he has built his stocks up so I could ask him over Xmas when they will be ready for sale and what the price might be if you like? How much have you see them for?

 

[Wendara Farm]

They are around the $400 for a hive and bees and around $100 for the hive when you want to split. If you could ask, I'd rather get some off someone I know.

There is a place in Maleny that do Adopt a Bee hive with honey bees. It is around $400 to get the hive and then $80 a year but you get 10kg of honey out of it as well. I really want to learn about having bees but have zero idea what I am doing! I might even try both and see how it goes......

 

[Mark]

Adopt a honey bee hive sounds like a nice money spinner do you actually own the hive or just renting it?

I'll send my uncle a link to this post and ask him if he has decided on any prices yet...

 

[Mark]

I guess you were right about a native bee hive costing around the $400 mark

From my Uncle...

Hullo . Thank you for your enquiry.

Australian native bee hive in box. A choice of Carbonaria, Australis or Hockinsi species, in a vertical splitting box of Cypress pine for it's white ant resistance qualities. 50 mm thick walls for insulation against heat and cold. Stainless steel wiring to resist hive collapse. This box has been designed for ease of splitting the hive to produce another hive. See a video of this type of box being split at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGCAK4q7MiA . With a honey super, 70 mm deep, shown in second photo,, a metal lid and a Emlock strap. $350. Available for pick-up at Brighton, Q4017, Northside Brisbane. Phone 07 3869 3770. Available within two days.

Regards, Kevin.

Here's the video mentioned in the link above...

 

[stevo]

Here's a list of people that sell them, Marks uncle Kevin is on the list. I'm sure a few others sell them but I don't really know of anyone. I assume these sellers will be around similar prices.

http://www.aussiebee.com.au/buy-stingless-bees.html

 

[stevo]

any updates?

I was thinking of getting a hive of stingless and putting them in the vegetable area but will they be enough to pollinate??? It is a huge area and I'm really not a fan of stinging bees
Thanks!

Native bees will definitely do the job, They travel 500metres. You have to look at the cost as a bit of an investment. As Mark said above, You can split them over and over, move them around your property.