Cindy Belknap - The Complete Guide to Beekeeping for Fun & Profit

The Complete Guide to Beekeeping for Fun & Profit:

Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply

With Cindy Belknap

The Complete Guide to Beekeeping for Fun & Profit: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Belknap, Cindy, 1952

The complete guide to beekeeping for fun & profit : everything you need to know explained simply / Cindy Belknap.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-362-4 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 1-60138-362-2 (alk. paper)

1. Bee culture. 2. Bees. I. Title.

SF523.B394 2010

638.1--dc22

2009053851

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

Table of Contents

Dedication

To all beekeepers, young and old. If you are planning your first hive, you are embarking on a miraculous journey that will provide a lifetime of enjoyment. If you cannot even remember how many hives you have had over the years, you know what I mean.

Cindy Belknap

Introduction

Beekeeping: Where else can you find thousands of sisters working together in perfect harmony under one roof?

Bee enthusiasts become beekeepers for a variety of reasons, but most admit their unadulterated fascination comes from what bees are capable of doing. New beekeepers also mention the unique aspects of the hobby, its educational assets, and the chance to get back to nature as to reasons they enjoy the hobby. And then there are those who extol the financial virtues of beekeeping. One beehive will usually bring in more honey than one person could possibly use, and it is not hard to imagine all the ways to sell your gorgeous crop of honey. Homegrown, organic honey is a sought-after commodity, but becoming an apiarist, which is the formal name for a beekeeper, is so much more than bee stings, wax, and honey.

For those who take care of bees for pure joy and amusement, you are performing a valuable service to your community and the world. The simple act of beekeeping keeps diversity in the flora and fauna, insects, soil, and even the herbivorous animals that frequent the area.

The pollination that bees perform is extremely important. Without their hard work, the world would be without many species of plants, fruits, and flowers. Honey bees provide the pollination for more than 80 percent of the fruit, vegetable, and flowering plants in existence. They pollinate crops used to feed cattle and other meat and dairy animals. Honey bees also contribute at least $150 million in honey annually, plus the estimated $50 million in beeswax used in cosmetics, candles, and other products. A Cornell University study estimated that honey bees pollinate more than $14 billion worth of seeds and crops in the United States each year. Some crops are almost singularly dependent on the honey bee for pollination.

Beekeeping is not for everyone; it requires hard work. There are bee boxes (supers) to put together, pests to be monitored and treated, and bees to be fed and managed. Beekeeping is a hot, sweaty, and thoroughly enjoyable hobby, even with the occasional sting or two.

This is a hobby with living creatures creatures that perform a very important job for our society. Always treat bees with the respect they deserve.

Beekeeping is more than gathering honey. Here you will learn not only what is needed to take care of a colony of productive bees, but also the troublesome areas that all beekeepers face. Disease and infection affect all living creatures, and bees are no exception. The diseases that affect bees are especially troublesome because they impact honey, wax, and all other elements of beekeeping. Disease can wipe out an entire colony and destroy hope for profit. Knowing the prospective diseases is an important part of beekeeping.

Hive life is not without its dramas. Bees have been known to pick up and fly away from their hive. If the colony stays, the queen might disappear, or perhaps another colony might decide they want your honey and may begin robbing it.

There is also a business aspect to beekeeping. Pollination and honey are not the only way bees contribute to human society. Their propolis, wax, larvae, and venom are all important commodities. Each one has its own distinctive characteristic when it comes to marketing and distribution.

So, prepare for an adventure of a lifetime, because beekeeping is life-altering. You will become infatuated with your bees and develop a relationship with them and with nature. It is a learning adventure with an environment like no other.

Chapter 1

Beekeeping Basics

All About Bees

Honey bees belong to the largest order of insects known as Hymenoptera, which translates to membranous wings, and includes sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. The scientific name for a honey bee is Apis mellifera . They are able to provide a social service with their pollination, honey production, and propolis, which is a mixture that bees collect from tree buds to fill in open gaps in their hives. Although the number of new beekeepers is on the rise, the number of honey bee colonies is on the decline. In 2006, there were 6 million registered colonies, but by 2009 the population dropped to 2.4 million. This phenomenon, called colony collapse disorder (CCD), was first reported in 2006, although recent studies suggest it may have begun as early as 2004. The main characteristic of CCD is a sudden loss of a colonys adult bee population, with no dead bees found inside or near the hive. Although extensive research has been conducted on this plight, no singular reason has been discovered as the cause. Scientists have narrowed down the possibilities to include pesticides in our environment, diseases, and poor honey bee management, to name a few. However, the treatment for this serious disorder has not been discovered. But although it might not seem like a good time to start this new venture, in reality, it is the best time. Honey bee researchers are encouraging people to take up beekeeping to help reverse this decline in population properly managed hives have a much better chance of survival than hives in the wild.