How to Become a Beekeeper: What You Need to Know
If you’ve always dreamed of having your own beehive and harvesting honey, this article is a must-read. It will help you learn more about what beekeeping entails, from its history to how it’s done today. You’ll also find some cool facts about bees you didn’t know before! Whether you want to start a hobby or become an entrepreneur, these are the things you need to know on your journey. Whether you have a small backyard garden or acres of flower fields, there are some basic steps that will help get you started on the right foot.
The History of Beekeeping
Beekeeping is one of the earliest forms of agriculture and has been around for over 9,000 years. Beekeeping was discovered when honeybees were attracted to man-made hives instead of wild beehives. For centuries, beekeepers have used these hives to capture honey or make candles from beeswax.
Nowadays, beekeeping is still practiced by many hobbyists, but it's also become a growing industry in some areas. It can take up to six months for a hive to produce enough honey for the beekeeper to harvest it. Businesses that keep bees may find themselves with too much honey or not enough honey depending on the time of year.
How Do Beekeepers Do Their Jobs?
Beekeeping is a fun and rewarding hobby that you can take up with just a few items and some guidance. You don't need to start out with an established bee colony or extensive knowledge of honey production. In fact, if you live in the United States, you can purchase a package of bees from your local hardware store and get started right away.
If you're looking for the best place to buy your package of bees, it's important to find a reputable company that specializes in honeybees.
Some beekeepers will be happy to sell you their colony and all its inhabitants; others will require you to collect them yourself. If this is your first time keeping bees, we recommend finding someone who sells packages as this process is easier for beginners.
Next, set up all the necessary equipment:
-A hive box or hive stand (the most basic type)
-A queen excluder (a metal mesh grid used to separate the queen from the honeycomb)
-An entrance feeder (a container filled with sugar water)
-An entrance reducer (a small piece of hardware that controls how bees enter your home by restricting their access)
What Should You Know Before Starting Beekeeping?
Beekeeping might sound like an intimidating endeavor, but it’s really not that difficult. It does take some time and some dedication, though.
Beekeeping is the process of caring for bees in order to collect their honey and other products. You don't need a college degree to do it either—it's mostly common sense, patience, and attention to detail.
There are four steps to starting beekeeping:
1) Pick the right location for your beehive
2) Purchase or build your beehive
3) Choose your hive species carefully
4) Get help from an expert before you start if you're new to beekeeping
Where Can You Get Bees to Start Your Hive?
Beekeeping is a lot like keeping other farm animals, such as cows or chickens. You will need to find a source to purchase your starter colony—or “package”—of bees. Most people buy them from a local beekeeper, but sometimes they can be ordered online.
You may also be able to find local beekeepers in your area who are selling honey and beeswax at farmers’ markets and roadside stands.
Before buying your package of bees, it’s important to know what you need to do before putting them into their new home. There are many different types of hives , including Langstroth hives and Top Bar hives, so it can be helpful to research which type suits your needs best before purchasing an expensive package of bees, especially if you are just starting out!
What Should You Have Ready for Your Bees When They Arrive?
When you receive your bees, they should be packed in a screened box with a lid. They should also have had sugar syrup for food, and some dry sugar candy or fondant on the top of the package.
The day before you’re expecting to get your bees, it’s recommended that you have everything ready for their arrival. This includes setting up an empty hive body with frames and drawn comb, keeping equipment nearby (including extra honey supers, feeders, protective gear, etc.), and making sure your water source is ready.
It may also be worth asking someone else in your household to clear some space for the hive while you're busy getting things set up outside.
Where should you put your hive?
The first step in starting a beehive is to find the best location for your bees. You should place it somewhere close to flowers or fruit trees. This will give them the resources they need to do their jobs and pollinate.
Placing your beehive near trees is important because they offer shade, which helps keep your beehive cool during the summer months. Plus, the tree’s leaves offer food for your bees to help them stay healthy during winter months.
Beekeepers also often put their hives on hillsides so that the hive can be above other homes and buildings to avoid stinging incidents. If you live in an urban area, this will probably mean placing your hive on a roof or terrace, which can potentially increase its productivity by up to ten percent!
What should you feed the bees?
One of the most important things you need to know is what to feed your bees. There are many different types of foods that can be fed to bees, but honey is the most popular.
The type of food you feed them can depend on when in the bee’s life cycle they are. Bees consume a lot of pollen and nectar while they are young, so feeding them a mix of sugar water and pollen will help sustain them during their early life. As they grow older, it’s essential to supplement their diet with supplementary sugars, such as honey or sugar syrup. This will ensure that there is enough honey for all of the older bees who don’t have time to go out and collect it themselves.
It's also important to note that different regions have different climates that affect how much food needs to be given to the hive at any given time. Bees living in warmer climates may need more food because they'll burn through energy more quickly due to their surroundings.
How do you know if the bees are doing well in their new home?
If you are thinking about starting a beehive, one of your primary concerns will be how to tell if the bees are doing well.
It is best to start with a nucleus colony. This is a small number of bees that can grow very quickly over time. They also reproduce well and are more resistant to parasites. If you start with a nucleus colony, you can create an observation tool to monitor the health of your hive by counting the number of times the bees fly out in 10 minutes.
Each bee should fly out six times in 10 minutes—and never less than three. If you see fewer than this amount, it means that there might be an issue that needs addressing with your hive or their environment. This could be anything from poor nutrition or lack of space for them to build comb, which will leave them vulnerable to parasites and disease.
Conclusion
The history of beekeeping is full of wonder. The concept of beekeeping has been discovered in ancient times, including texts from the Bible referring to beekeeping.
Today, there are many businesses that have taken up beekeeping as a hobby or profession. It can be done on a small scale or over acres of land. There are many things to consider, but with this guide you will be well-equipped to begin your journey.