In the absence of a swarm of bees being attracted to my bait hive and coming to live in my garden of their own free will, it is very likely that I will have to end up purchasing some bees from somewhere. I've already thought about the problems with buying a Nuc or a colony of bees in a National Hive brood box, and considered the Rose Hive method as one way of moving to a more natural approach with bees purchased on frames and artificial foundation. I have, however, found a company in Gloucestershire that sells "package bees" - bees shaken from an overwintered hive, with a queen added, such that an artifical swarm is created. This would be much easier to transfer into a top bar hive, as there are no frames and no brood. The bees are supplied with some sugar syrup t keep them going until they are installed in the hive, but once in the hive they can start going about their business and doing what bees do, creating comb, the Queen laying eggs, etc. The only problem is, that it is not a natural swarm with the bees following their queen, but rather an artificially created swarm with a foreign queen. The bees may not therefore have such an allegiance, and there may be more chance of the swarm deserting. I have read some good reports from Natural Beekeepers who have bought bees this way though, so it may be worth considering.
However, I have also found a place in Cornwall where they produce honey, keeping bees in topbar hives and also sell topbar hive nuclei - i.e. a small nucleus topbar hive in which a small colony of bees has built some natural comb and produced brood, all with British bees and British Queens.
I feel a plan coming on...
I'm probably too late to get any bees this year, but may place an order for next Spring.
