How To Get Started With Beekeeping

Beekeeping is a growing passion, and every year, more and more people fall in love with nature’s best, buzziest little workers. However, there’s a lot to learn and do before you can begin. Check out these tips for how to get started with beekeeping as you prepare to launch a successful career as a beekeeper.

Research

The best advice for how to get started with beekeeping is to do your research. You can learn from books, online information and classes, or an experienced beekeeping mentor in your area. Before you keep bees yourself, it’s important to understand how bees live and work. You’ll also learn the common problems beekeepers run into—such as varroa mites and harsh winters—and how to avoid them. This is also a good opportunity to get involved in the beekeeping community. There are a lot of different methods and opinions, and getting to know what your fellow beekeepers think can prove invaluable throughout your beekeeping journey.

Location

Once you have your equipment, you need to find the right location to set everything up. As far as climate goes, bees are pretty versatile, but you want to place your hive in a sheltered, protected place. Look for somewhere that doesn’t get a lot of wind and won’t flood. You’ll also want to put the hive in a spot that gets a lot of sunlight to help keep the hive warm and happy.

Resources

When placing your hive, you should also make sure your bees will have all of the necessary resources. Check that the bees can access clean water nearby. You should also make sure the area near the hive has enough food sources for the hive to prosper. Bees need pollen and nectar-rich flowers—free of insecticides—to feed their young and make honey.

Equipment

Once you’ve done your research and planned everything out, it’s time to actually purchase your equipment. By now, you should understand the pros and cons for each type of hive. Decide what type and size you want, as well as the number of bee frames you need. Mann Lake offers hive kits that include all the gear you need. Once you have all your equipment, and your hive is set up and ready to go, it’s time to purchase your honey bees and begin the sweet life of a beekeeper