If keeping bees is something that you are interested in, you have landed on the right page. We will cover beekeeping basics for beginners, whether you are a homesteader, backyard beekeeper, or you own a farm and you would like to start selling honey or other types of bee products.
It is a fairly easy process to learn about beekeeping, but there are a few factors to know about before you begin your adventure. Here is our guide on the best bee keeping tips and tricks to help you get started:
1.) Study Everything That You Need To Know About Bees
There are loads of books and resources on beekeeping. Learning as much as you possibly can about bees can help get your hive started on the correct footing.
2.) Find Out How Bees Produce Honey
Before you start ordering your supplies, it is important to first gain an understanding of how hives work and what bees actually do. In nature bees build nests. They then visit flowers in the areas to extract the nectar that they then bring back to the comb and hive, where it gradually turns into honey.
3.) Connect With A Local Beekeeping Organization
When it comes to beekeeping, there may be a few details that pertain to your specific area. To become a successful beekeeper it is important to have reliable resources in your area that you can draw on. This could include someone helping you to find a queen or checking on your hive.
4.) Find Out How To Set Up A Beehive
If you want to keep bees, they need a beehive. This is perhaps one of the most important bee keeping tips and tricks. In nature, bees usually build hives in hollow tree trunks or other sheltered places. As a beekeeper, you will be setting up a man-made hive to maintain a colony and a convenient place to harvest the honey. Some of the more common beehives to choose from include the top-bar or Langstroth.
5.) Educate Yourself On Beekeeping Tasks
Similar to gardening, the tasks involved when it comes to beekeeping will depend on the season. Spring is the ideal time to set up a hive, which will give the colony enough time to increase its numbers, build up baby bees (lay brood), and accumulate enough honey before winter.
6.) Gather Your Supplies
First, find out about the most important supplies you are going to need (as well as the ones you can do without for now). It is advisable to start small which will allow you to make changes as you go. You can either buy your supplies online or buy them in person.
The last step involves ordering your honey bees, once you have accumulated enough beekeeping knowledge and ordered your supplies. The options usually include something known as a “nuc colony” or “package bees” that comes with a queen.