🐝Learn how to get started this summer🌞
🐝Learn how to get started this summer🌞
by Flow Hive 6 min read
If you’re thinking about becoming a beekeeper, there are some factors you’ll want to consider. Beekeeping is a wonderful hobby that allows you to connect with nature in a unique way. Getting to know the workings of a honey bee colony is endlessly fascinating. Plus, tasting the honey produced by your own bees is a special experience.
Flow Hives have made harvesting easier than ever, inspiring thousands to take up beekeeping. Good preparation is key to having a successful and enjoyable start to your beekeeping adventure.
To begin your beekeeping journey, you’ll need a few essential ingredients: some basic beekeeping knowledge, a beehive, protective equipment, bees, a hive tool, and a smoker. With a starter bundle from Flow Hive, you can get everything you need (except the bees) at a special discount price.
A Flow Hive is a special type of beehive that contains Flow Frames, which allow you to harvest honey directly from the hive. This revolutionary invention takes the hassle out of harvesting honey and has inspired thousands of new beekeepers around the globe.
Many beekeepers get started with a single beehive, but there are several advantages to starting with at least two hives:
It’s a good idea to start with a small number of hives, as beginning with too many could be overwhelming. You might want to stick with one or two hives, or gradually build up as your knowledge and passion for beekeeping grows. Bee colonies naturally reproduce through swarming, which provides an opportunity to either start a new hive or share the colony with another beekeeper.
The price of getting started as a beekeeper can vary and depends on location, the type of hive you buy, where you get your bees from, and whether you purchase equipment such as a honey extractor. Because the Flow Hive allows you to harvest honey directly from the hive, there’s no need to purchase additional extracting equipment.
Flow Hives are available in a range of models to suit different budgets, from the premium Flow Hive 2+ to the economic Flow Hive Hybrid. It’s also possible to buy the Flow Frames separately and add them to an existing beehive.
A fully developed honey bee colony contains about 20,000 - 60,000 bees. The most common ways to start a new colony are through a nucleus colony (known as a “nuc”), a package of bees, or splitting a hive. All of these contain around 10,000 bees on average.
The queen is the most important bee in the colony. A mated queen is required for the colony to grow and survive, and she can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day. Most of these will develop into female worker bees, and the rest will be males, known as drones.
Beekeepers choose varieties of honey bees based on characteristics like productivity, temperament, disease resistance and climate suitability. The queen bee’s genetics will determine the characteristics of the entire colony. Certain breeds, such as Italian and Carniolan, are known for their gentle temperament and are therefore often recommended for beginners.
Depending on where you get your bees from, you may not have the option to choose a particular breed of bee. Many honey bees will be a mixture of different breeds. The most important thing is that you get bees that are healthy, not aggressive and adapted to your local conditions.
You need to wear protective clothing when working with bees. Bee suits are usually white, as bees react badly to darker colours. Your bee suit should fit comfortably over your clothes, and allow for a good range of motion.
Download our free guide to beekeeping safety here.
Most beehives are based on the Langstroth design and consist of the following components:
Aside from safety equipment, a beehive and bees, there are a few extra requirements to keeping bees.
In most temperate regions, spring is the best time to get started beekeeping. This is when honey bees tend to expand their numbers to take advantage of the blooming season. Colonies start to swarm and beekeepers split their hives - making colonies available for new beekeepers. Depending on your location and weather, the right conditions might not occur until early summer. In other regions like the tropics, bees are active all year round and you can start a new colony at any time.
Winter is a good time to prepare for beekeeping. Do research, purchase equipment and connect with other beekeepers. There is often a waiting list for new colonies, so it helps to put an order in early if you’re planning to get bees in the spring.
For a step-by-step guide to beekeeping - check out TheBeekeeper.org. This online beekeeping course covers everything you need to know and features world experts in beekeeping. Learn in your own time with high-quality videos so you can feel confident looking after your bees.
Not sure if keeping bees is right for you? Got more questions?
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