If you are thinking of keeping bees as a hobby or as a sideline business, below is a quick guide to raising bees because there are things you should know before making a start.
Some money is needed to start raising bees, but before you start investing money, you might want contact beekeepers in your area, who will be happy in helping you out and in most cases point you in the right direction for local beekeeping equipment.
Clothing and Equipment Needed For Beekeeping
One of the most important pieces of clothing a beekeeper wears is the veil. Bee stings on the face can be very painful and can damage the eyes and ears.
Wear white or light colored coveralls. If you are not using boots, do not wear dark socks. Boots that fasten over the coveralls or in the coveralls should be worn, A wind breaker jacket will help you to avoid being stung. Pants, veil, sleeves should be fasten securely so that the bees don't get in the clothes.
You first need one bee hive, and a good place to get one is your local store or beekeeping society's from your area.
You can buy this equipment new or used. If it is used you will want to make sure it is in good condition, also get it examined by the Apiary Inspection Service for possible diseases. The normal price for beekeeping equipment is $250-$450.
You can also build you very own bee hives, which isn't to difficult, if you have the time, just make sure you have the dimensions correct because bees will build combs in places you don't want them to.
Getting the Bees
There are several ways to acquire bees, but what ever method you use the right time to buy bees is spring, established colonies cost more, but are worth it.
Package bees
The package of bees consists of 2 or 3 pounds of bees, and a queen in a separate cage (Beginners should be able to handle them easily)
The Queen Bee
The most common practice of introducing a new queen requires an introductory period of about three days. The queen is placed in a cage which is then fed by colony bees though the wire gauze covering the cage. The only way she is let go is by the worker bees eating a candy entrance or the beekeeper can decide to release the queen into the colony manually.
The quality of the queen plays a role in the success of the colony. As a beekeeper you may notice a difference in the production of honey from one colony to the next. The difference in production can depend on several factors, and one being the queen.
It is obvious that guide is just a quick look at what's required, make sure you research before you start purchasing equipment, and get all the information so you can make a good decision as to whether bee-keeping might be for you.
Some money is needed to start raising bees, but before you start investing money, you might want contact beekeepers in your area, who will be happy in helping you out and in most cases point you in the right direction for local beekeeping equipment.
Clothing and Equipment Needed For Beekeeping
One of the most important pieces of clothing a beekeeper wears is the veil. Bee stings on the face can be very painful and can damage the eyes and ears.
Wear white or light colored coveralls. If you are not using boots, do not wear dark socks. Boots that fasten over the coveralls or in the coveralls should be worn, A wind breaker jacket will help you to avoid being stung. Pants, veil, sleeves should be fasten securely so that the bees don't get in the clothes.
You first need one bee hive, and a good place to get one is your local store or beekeeping society's from your area.
You can buy this equipment new or used. If it is used you will want to make sure it is in good condition, also get it examined by the Apiary Inspection Service for possible diseases. The normal price for beekeeping equipment is $250-$450.
You can also build you very own bee hives, which isn't to difficult, if you have the time, just make sure you have the dimensions correct because bees will build combs in places you don't want them to.
Getting the Bees
There are several ways to acquire bees, but what ever method you use the right time to buy bees is spring, established colonies cost more, but are worth it.
Package bees
The package of bees consists of 2 or 3 pounds of bees, and a queen in a separate cage (Beginners should be able to handle them easily)
The Queen Bee
The most common practice of introducing a new queen requires an introductory period of about three days. The queen is placed in a cage which is then fed by colony bees though the wire gauze covering the cage. The only way she is let go is by the worker bees eating a candy entrance or the beekeeper can decide to release the queen into the colony manually.
The quality of the queen plays a role in the success of the colony. As a beekeeper you may notice a difference in the production of honey from one colony to the next. The difference in production can depend on several factors, and one being the queen.
It is obvious that guide is just a quick look at what's required, make sure you research before you start purchasing equipment, and get all the information so you can make a good decision as to whether bee-keeping might be for you.
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