How Do You Get Started In Beekeeping?
Since the introduction of the varroa mite to the US, wild bee populations have been decimated. With the recent rise of Colony Collapse Disorder, it is more likely than ever that, if you see bees on your flowers, someone living close by is keeping bees. You can too. Bees require very little intervention from you to get their work done. The need a dry place to live that is protected from the elements, a decent source of water, and some food. Worried about getting stung? Don’t be (unless you have an allergy). It’s not as bad as you remember it from your childhood. • Buy the woodware. You can get hive components from local suppliers, but they can be hard to locate since they are usually very small and don’t usually have a website. There are websites offering supplies, however. You will need two deep-hive bodies, two honey supers, a bottom board, a queen excluder (optional), an inner cover, a top cover, twenty deep frames, twenty shallow frames, foundation for all the frames, and an entranc
• Buy the woodware. You can get hive components from local suppliers, but they can be hard to locate since they are usually very small and don’t usually have a website. There are websites offering supplies, however. You will need two deep-hive bodies, two honey supers, a bottom board, a queen excluder (optional), an inner cover, a top cover, twenty deep frames, twenty shallow frames, foundation for all the frames, and an entrance reducer. These will come to you in pieces and you will have to build them. This saves money on shipping, and it makes for a fun winter project. What could brighten your spirits more on a cold January day than building a beehive and thinking of fresh honey? • Get some clothing. The exact type of clothing that you use is strictly a matter of preference. Some like a full-length suit and others prefer something like a Bug Baffler. Some wear gloves and some don’t. Some people just use a veil and nothing else. It just depends on how comfortable you are around bees.
