Beekeeping is something that many people have asked me about ever since I started. From costs to stings, there is so much to learn before you go out and try it for yourself. Below is the essential information you will need to know before starting beekeeping.
Equipment
Most people who look at a beekeeper will recognize a few pieces of equipment right off the bat: The veil or jacket, smoker, and hive tool. These three pieces are essential to get started, but you also need a hive box, frames, bottom board, inner cover, and outer cover, at a bare minimum.
This is if you are doing the standard Langstroth hive setup, which I would recommend for beginners.
Langstroth hives are the square wooden boxes that come in eight or ten-frame capacity (these are not compatible with each other, but the frames are). And they come in four different sizes: shallow, medium, deep, and super deep. Though the super deep is uncommon, most beekeepers focus on the medium and deeps.
I run both ten and eight frames in my apiary, and I have to ensure that I have both parts on hand if something breaks or I need to expand a hive.
You may need other equipment as you progress, such as extractors, a bee brush, hive stands, and other nonessential items the first year as you are getting started.
Costs
Costs will vary based on region and what you buy, but you can figure to spend about $400-500 to get started. A nucleus colony (which is five frames of brood, pollen, honey, bees, and a mated queen) costs up to $200 in my area, and a complete quality deep hive box costs $165 or more on amazon. Your costs will undoubtedly be about that.
Knowledge
It's critical to understand what you are doing when you first get started, and a mentor can help immensely. Before ordering your first nucleus colony, joining a local beekeeping club is always recommended. Bee clubs are full of people who are willing to help, newbies get started, and have significant resources at their disposal.
If you cannot join a local club, then I would recommend this book as a starter. The Beekeepers Handbook by Diana Sammataro. I am also planning on hosting an online beekeeping course to help those interested in getting started.
I recommend that you read The Beekeepers Handbook before trying to keep bees.
Social Media
Join a local beekeeping group on social media or reddit. I say local because there are some beekeeping groups that have several thousand members and like to exert their opinions on people, criticizing new beekeepers questions and ignorance. While I still recommend the classes and books prior to keeping bees, a social media group can be a great way to learn from other people. Remember that beekeeping is not a set practice and you will do things differently than other people and that is okay!
Time Associated
There is a learning curve with beekeeping, but the time associated with building the bee boxes, tending to the bees, doing splits in the spring, maintaining their health, and harvesting honey can be into the tens of hours a year or more per colony. Bees are livestock and need to be cared for just like goats, cattle, chickens, or other animals. The difference is space requirements. Make sure you have the time to dedicate to your new hobby.
Benefits
Beekeeping has become the most rewarding thing that I have done. It brings me happiness that I have never experienced before. It also yields honey that I can sell to my local neighbors, give away as gifts, and use to make mead. While the start-up costs may be a bit on the high side, it has been worth it for me. Keep reading for more information on how to keep bees, make mead, and learn all you can on beekeeping.
Other Questions Before Starting
There are lots of other questions surrounding beekeeping especially since COVID left a lot of people at home looking for something to occupy their time. Spring is a great time to get started and depending on your location, late March or early April is ideal. You can purchase a package of bees, or a nucleus colony but often these need to be pre-ordered the year before. You can always get started later than this, but it is advisable not to get started any later than May or early June. If you do, your colony may not have the resources to build up its reserves. Of course, we are talking in the northern hemisphere where this would be springtime turning to summer.
I also get a lot of questions about the Flow Hive. I bought a Flow Hive and will do a full writeup on it and review what I think of it and let you know if its worth dropping a whopping $1000 on a hive. As a newbie, it seems like it would make things super easy, but remember there is still a ton to learn and you can't neglect your bees. Ultimately, whichever type of hive box you decide to go with you have to do hive inspections and care for your bees.
This post has been extremely basic, giving a glimpse of what there is to expect with beekeeping. If you are up for the challenge then I invite you to keep exploring my blog for more information on beekeeping.
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