You can also buy equipment—such as the hive tool, gloves, and smoker—in a kit, so you don’t needn’t bother tracking down everything you need individually. 79 0 obj “A complete single walled hive contains: a roof, crown board, up to three or more (honey) super boxes; queen excluder (so she doesn’t lay eggs in the honey); brood box and floor.”. �ʿ� AB���;V3ZBl�E�w�,��z�,�X�w��9=�i�U�=}��Tg'+9�p���x��ҰT�Zn�~�NX ��Ӷ�ւ��gzar@�����)>�}�9#�P���ێ��{�� This can be a wonderful thing if you’re prepared and know what’s going on! General maintenance requires periodic inspections during the warm months to make sure your queen is laying eggs, your workers are building up honey stores, and your colony has enough space to expand. But they don't require a huge time investment. The bees make comb without foundation in this system. Beekeeping isn’t something you can just jump into. If the thought of keeping your own bees appeals to you, read on. Honey’s thermal mass helps keep them warm, and they eat it when they can’t forage for pollen. There are a number of sources where you can get your bees from. I only recommend products and services I trust to serve you. What steps did I take as a beginner beekeeper? This was a mistake. Also make sure that they have access to fresh water every day. Lauren Arcuri is a freelance writer and an experienced small farmer. H�%f13p��4��t(Ġ~�2��$rr��y���a-�c-��=��ڷ��r1�\���mQ�e�خ��8��=�ɭ����?t���. 0000002156 00000 n I'm Kelly! You pull the boxes out like drawers to access the bees, harvest honey, and perform maintenance tasks. Your local bee club is the best place to find a mentor. Beebreeders and some equipment suppliers who advertise in the bee press are able to post you what is called a “package” of bees in a travelling box or a nucleus hive. Related: 8 Reasons Not to Use Pesticides in Your Yard and Garden. Simply ask for one during your meeting announcements or ask the leadership. In the wild, bees build their own hive, usually in a hollow tree trunk or another sheltered place, but it can be anywhere. Although highly intelligent, this gentleman lacked social skills for sure. amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; All hives in the UK now have the varroa mite which isn't such a problem itself but does bring viruses into the hive. 0000066285 00000 n To make your hive can a focal point, paint your them in a fun color, staying away from dark shades that soak up heat from the sun. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Before you jump in and start ordering supplies, let's take a step back and understand exactly how a hive works and what bees do. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. Beekeeping Equipment The basic equipment you need for beginning beekeeping should cost no more than about $25. Include cool designs or pictures, which will help get kids and excited about their 30,000 new family members. One is called the Langstroth hive, and it's composed of boxes that are stacked on top of each other, each containing frames where the bees build their comb and store honey.