The cost of buying new woodwork for a basic
4 box hive would be about $160, this does not include nails and paint.
However buying a second hand hive together with all the bees and food
stores, you would generally expect to pay between $80 to $140 depending
on the condition of the woodware, bee population and food stores. The
Club would endeavour to have an experienced member check the hive with
you, to see that it is disease free. You could expect to pay more if
there is a honey crop on the hive. A box full of honey would contain
about 20 kg of honey, which is considerable value in itself and would
offset the initial cost. Other items required are overalls, hat, veil,
gloves, smoker and hive tool; again these items are cheaper if bought
second hand.
A properly run hive in the town are should yield between 50-60 kg (some will produce 100 kg) of honey per season. Hives in the rural areas are generally more dependant on the seasonal variations.
It would pay to do a little research by accessing the books
available at the public library or the Club library, but remember that
most books are written with respect to the Northern Hemisphere. |