How to Start Beekeeping

What to Learn First

Before putting on your bee suit and heading out to the hive, it is smart to spend some time learning beekeeping basics. This is really not a learn as you go hobby. Though you will continue to learn over time with your experiences.

Find and read as many beginner beekeeping books as you can. Some are great – some are mass publication dribble but I share some good choices throughout this website.

You can even buy my beekeeping book if you like – but don’t let it be the only one. No beekeeper knows it all.

An online beekeeping class is another way to get off to a great start. You tube has some useful videos but don’t believe everything you see.

Think of this time of beekeeper education as your homework before the big test. It is time well spent.

Invest in the Beekeeping Community

Not everyone wants to join a local beekeeping association or has the opportunity or time to do so. But these local groups often offer classes, workshops and hands-on learning opportunities.

You may even be paired with a beekeeping mentor who will answer questions and offer advice when needed. Beekeeping will always have some local factors that you need to know.

Planning: Timing & Site Selection

Beekeeping has a yearly rhythm. We are working with living creatures that respond to seasonal changes.

For example, most people order bees in winter for delivery in early Spring. It is easier to start beekeeping in Spring which is a natural growth time for bee colonies.

This means you need to have your beekeeping equipment ready- well before your bees arrive. It is also necessary to evaluate your choices and choose the very best location for your beehives.

Taking time to plan ahead will save some major headaches later on.

Beekeeping Equipment & Hive Choices

While the world of beekeeping equipment can feel overwhelming at first – I have great news for you. You don’t need to buy everything you see for sale.

Beginners need some protective beekeeper clothing, a bee hive tool and a standard bee smoker.

For the bees, they need a hive to call home. Most beginners in my area start out with the standard Langstroth beehive. But, there are other types of beehives to consider.

There is no best way – choose what matches your comfort level and budget.

Ordering Honey Bees & Installing

Once you feel ready to proceed, it is time decide how you want to buy bees. Ordering bees is usually done in advance – they can’t sit on the shelf like a can of green beans.

The seller and buyer have to plan ahead to get the bees in a hive as soon as possible. Pickup on demand is not often available.

Each option for buying bees has its pros and cons, but all will result in some buzzing residents for your hive. Truly, there is no best way. You can have success and failure with package bees, nucs or full-sized hives.

Putting bees in a new hive for the first time is exciting and can be scary. But, with some preparation and patience, you can get your bees in place with a minimum of stress.

There is a bit of a difference between installing a package of bees vs installing a bee nuc colony. Or perhaps, you will catch a honey bee swarm.

All methods of hiving bees requires an understanding of bee nature – which you will know if you plan ahead.

Regular Beehive Checks & Records

Unfortunately, a beehive is not the same as a bird house. You can not just clean it out once and year and forget it.

Keeping bees healthy requires some effort – especially in modern beekeeping with all the pests and diseases.

Learn how to inspect a beehive so you can spot any problems early. Most colonies have be saved with early intervention.

If you have a great memory, that’s great. But I have to use my beekeeper’s journal to track hive strength, queen performance, population and other important conditions.

Good beekeeping records are so helpful to compare year to year occurrences. They help you remember what worked and what did not.

Start Beekeeping for Honey Tips

Wanting a hive to produce your own honey is a common goal for new beekeepers. This is why I got my first hives.

However, success doesn’t happen overnight. Not every hive will produce excess honey every year. And, it is not common for a newly started hive to produce honey for you the first year.

Taking too much of a honey harvest and assuming the bees have time to refill the hive is one of the top reasons that beehives fail during Winter.

In most locations, bees do not make honey all year – just during the warm season. They must have enough honey stored in the hive for themselves before you can consider your honey harvest.

Finally, when that crop of honey is ready for you. You have a few choices for harvesting. Simple methods like crush and strain to separate wax comb from liquid honey have worked for years.

Or you may wish to buy an extractor if you have several hives and want to make fast work of the job. If you learn how to extract honey properly, the empty comb can be reused by the bees next year. That’s a bonus.

Beginner Beekeeping Timeline

This is a guide to help you plan your journey to become a beekeeper. Allowances must be made for climate and locations.

Late Fall/Winter (Time to learn and Plan)

• Take a beekeeping class
• Read beekeeping books
• Research what type of beehive you want to use
• Order your bees – early delivery dates will sell out

Early Spring (Getting Ready)

• Choose your best location for hives
• Set up your hive before bees arrive
• Have your protective gear and tools ready

Mid-Late Spring (Installing Bees)

• Pick up or receive your bees and install them in the hives
• Check on them in a few days (7-10) to ensure the queen is released and laying
• Plan to feed bees sugar water for a while to boost new colonies

Summer (Time of Growth and Hive Management)

• Inspect new colonies every 10-14 days – look for a good brood pattern / signs of pests (established colonies may only need a monthly inspection)
• Add boxes (depending on hive type) as needed – bees boxes (supers) come in different sizes.

Late Summer/Early Fall

• Harvest honey from hives with excess
• Monitor and treat for honey bee pests
• Watch for signs of bee diseases
• Check food stores – do your bees have enough honey stored for winter?
• Reduce hive entrances and prepare equipment for cold weather

Fall/Winter (Maintenance & Observation)

• Check hive food stores – if you lift the back of the hive it should feel heavy
• Provide emergency feed (sugar cakes or a bee candy board) if needed
• Avoid opening the hive too often in cold weather – you can cause the bee cluster to become chilled
• Continue learning and planning for next year.