Tew - The beekeepers problem solver : 100 common problems explored and explained

P eople have been keeping bees for hundreds of years in nearly all parts of the world. The crops of honey and wax to be harvested from managed hives have always been the primary motivation for the practice, but today there are many other reasons why people choose to keep bees. Though beekeeping goals and colony size may vary, at the fundamental level, all beekeepers have similar objectives and must employ the same basic practices.

Novice beekeepers will have to address common startup issues such as finding a proper site for their new apiary, acquiring hive equipment and assembling it, sourcing bees to put in the new hive and doing everything possible to give them the best start in their new home.

With beekeeping comes great responsibilities, not only to the bees in your care, but also to your neighbors. Every beekeeper must do everything in their power to keep any disturbance from bees to a minimum, and to reassure and where possible educate their neighbors about bees.

By adopting an informed approach, what initially seems confusing and uncertain will become clear. Becoming a proficient beekeeper will take a few years, but they will be enjoyable years; as time passes, you can explore new aspects of beekeeping.

Basic beekeeping requirements are not technologically difficult, but to the uninitiated the biological vocabulary and hive equipment nomenclature can be intimidating.

SOLUTION

In most aspects of beekeeping, techniques and management systems vary. This can be overwhelming and confusing for the novice beekeeper. Until you become familiar with fundamental beekeeping procedures, it is best to stick to the basics. Bees are very adaptable and if the issues of bee health, queen quality, and food availability are all adequately addressed, the colony will most likely be quite successful, regardless of what hive design or management procedure is used. Start by getting informed on the following areas:

Where to find help and support (for example, beekeeping clubs and friends, academic programs).

Where to purchase equipment.

Where is best to locate your hives.

Where and when to purchase live bees.

Books on beekeeping tend to offer too much detail and too many options, so start by reading concise and friendly educational materials to familiarize yourself with beekeeping terms and the basics listed above. Online video tutorials can also be a useful resource.

The best possible source of information, however, is experienced beekeepers, so find out if there are any established beekeepers in your local community, or even better, a beekeeping club. By speaking to them you can find out about the various styles of beehives and management procedures in common use in your area.

Information about beekeeping is widely available, both in print and online, but by far the best resource is other experienced beekeepers.

Im unsure when is best to start beekeeping

CAUSE

Locating a bee supplier and purchasing proper beginning equipment will take time in itself; then comes the question of what time of year is best to set up your beekeeping venture.

SOLUTION

In temperate climates, new bee colonies should be started during the warm season of the year. To survive the upcoming winter, the new colony must have time to gather and process pollen in order to build up its honey stores and population. Another option is to purchase an already established colony. These can be purchased and relocated at any time of the year.

You can start your research at any time of the year; however, beginning the decision-making phase during winter months would probably be the most practical, as this allows lead time for becoming acquainted with the craft, ordering and assembling equipment, and finding a source for live bees before spring arrives. If you wait until the spring months to begin this planning and research stage, it will most likely be too late in the year. The season will already be underway, leaving no time for ordering both equipment and bees.

A good time to make enquiries about a supply of bees is during late summer. To market their honey crops, beekeepers often have booths at farmers markets. They are also a good source of information. If the beekeeper has been proficient enough to acquire a honey crop, he or she will be knowledgable about the craft and how to get started.

Bees gathering pollen during the spring. In order to survive the winter, a colony must have time to gather and process enough pollen to build up the honey stores and the colonys population.

POLLEN COLLECTORS

Forager bees are covered in a mat of soft fuzzy hair. Under a microscope, the hair is seen to be branched (plumose), whereas human hair is simply a single shaft. All three of the bees body segmentshead, thorax, and abdomenhave abundant hair on them. Even the bees compound eyes have hair growing from them and the bees head is covered, too. Pollen clings to this hair and is combed off by the grooming bees back at the hive.

I dont know where to get my first bees

CAUSE

Most novice beekeepers are unsure how to go about procuring live bees. Reliable sources for bees and the related costs have increasingly become a challenge. Established beekeepers are also anxious to find replacement bees for winter losses and to increase their colony numbers.

SOLUTION

If you are new to beekeeping, it is worth attending bee-related events and speaking to established beekeepers about the upcoming availability of spring season bees. You can find out about such events through local beekeeping publications and associations, and blogs and forums online. In the United States, package bees are a common way to start up a beekeeping operation. Bee packages, which usually contain three pounds of bees with a newly mated queen, must be ordered in the fall for subsequent spring delivery.

The spring season is the most intensive period for acquiring bees. During this time, colonies can be initiated from nucleus colonies (a small colony of varying size with a mated queen used as a start and normally called a nuc) or other such splits from an established colony. Though rare now, established colonies sometimes become available when their owners retire from the business. You should expect to pay a high price for these producing colonies.