Sarah Jacobs - Beekeeping: The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Learn Managing Bees

Almost anyone canmaster the abilities that are necessary to be a really goodbeekeeper. Your journey to successful beekeeping starts with thepreparation. You should try to understand everything you can aboutbeehives before your bees arrive. Here are some things to considerabout beekeeping:

PROS TO BEEKEEPING

There are severalreasons why you may wish to raise honeybees, including:

Honey is probablythe apparent answer. Most beekeepers want to produce fresh honey. Asingle bee can produce 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her life (about 6weeks), and with a group including thousands of bees, that canbuildup rapidly.

Beeswax is anotherwell-known product that comes from bees. Worker honeybees producewaxfrom special glands on their abdomen. The beeswax is formed intohoneycomb and becomes the structure of their home. We use beeswaxalso. It's used in candle-making and cosmetics. Many creams andlipsticks contain beeswax.

Pollination: If youreally want better yield from your groves and gardens, honeybeescanhelp. Raising honeybees makes sure better pollination of bloomingplants. That means more food for ourselves and wildlife. Honey beesare the heroes of pollination efforts for modern agriculture.Havingsaid that, the role of native bee species can't be ignored.

Diligent workers.There's a reason we say "busy as a bee." Bees areconsistent workers. They don't need constant tracking. A group ofhealthy, well-managed bees will produce wax and honey which you canmake use of or later, sell for profit. On average, expect to spendanhour a week throughout the warm season on group management. Keep inmind that in chillier climates, you might really need to help thebees overwinter appropriately.

CHALLENGES TOBEEKEEPING

There are somedownsides to raising honeybees, though:

Non-Natives: Whilewe actually do manage honeybees for honey & pollination,there'ssome concern that honeybees are out-competing our native bees inthewild. Honey bees are non-natives. Wild, singular bees are thesuper-pollinators of our native flowers and plants. If you'regettingbees to pollinate your food (not to produce honey), think of usingasolitary bee house (and encourage native plants andwildflowers)!

Stings can happenwith honeybees. Contact your medical professional first to identifyif you are one of the unfortunate people who are allergic tohoneybeestings. And even if you aren't allergic to it, stings are painful.Learning how to properly manage your hives will minimize stingingepisodes.

Cost of supplies.The preliminary cost of beekeeping can be intimidating to newbiebeekeepers. You'll need to purchase supplies such as a hive,appropriate protecting clothing, a smoker, and hive tool. At thetimeof this writing, a single new hive may cost about $150, clothes andgear may cost about $160, and a plan of new bees may run $125 to$150. Typically you can find starter kits with bees, boxes, andequipment for a better combined price.

The first year canbe a tough one. On top of learning the ins and outs of beekeeping,you might not get any honey for yourself. Your bees have a lot ofwork to do during the first season. They should produce wax, raiseyoung bees and store honey for Winter. Learn to be patient withyourself and your bees.

Bee illnesses. Asyou might know, bee populations have been in decrease for severalyears. Illness, pesticides, and parasites are the most commonproblems come across by bees, but at times, there is noclarificationfor an unhealthy hive. Take the time to learn how to keep your beeshealthy and to inquire about any problems other beekeepers in yourspecific area may have had.

JOIN A BEEKEEPINGNEIGHBORHOOD

Be sure to speakwith regional beekeepers and beekeeping companies or thecommunitiesin your area. They typically meet at public libraries. It is alwaysagreat idea to go out with a specialist several times before raisingyour own bees.

There are a lot ofcompanies about beekeeping readily available to those ready tolook.Those organizations are particularly useful for finding swarms(collections of bees) as soon as you've become developed with yourapiary.

An importantconsideration when it comes to bees is that they truly don't wanttosting you. It suggests that you need to somehow provoke a bee tomakeit sting you. Unfortunately, in some cases this happensaccidentally:Lots of us have made the mistake of stepping on a bee or gone toonear a beehive without appropriate safety measure.

You can generallyprevent a sting by just leaving them alone. Standing still while abee flies around, you can be an effective way to stop pain for youboth. And even if one of the stinging pests arrive on you, it willprobably fly off by itself with time.

Bees at times reactto certain odors that perfumes or colognes carry. If you know youaregoing into a region that generally has them, keep your aromaneutral.Bright colors can also attract other bees. Be certain to wear shoesoutdoors so as not to unintentionally step on a stinginginsect.

HOW OFTEN DO BEES ORWASPS STING?

Honeybees can onlysting one time because their stingers have barbed edges. Though,thestinger will continually release venom once it is in you, so youshould try to remove it immediately.