My beekeeping started quite unexpectedly, almost spontaneously. Though I had previously had occasional thoughts that it would be great to have my own hive, I had not implemented this idea in any way until one day — when we changed a fence at the back of our garden. There was a cosy spot between our shed and fencing which looked irresistibly inviting to put a beehive. Shortly after I mentioned this idea to my hairdresser during our usual chat. Saying something like “It’s meant to be” she pointed at a lady sitting nearby and waiting for her turn. The lady’s husband happened to be a beekeeper. He also turned out to be a very nice and dedicated person generously sharing his knowledge and time while helping me constantly through my first year of beekeeping. Graham, my big thank you!
If I were to start beekeeping all over again — what would make it easier? What would be helpful for a newbie before even getting the first hive?
Important/ Good Things To Know
I think there are a few things which are quite handy to know.
- Am I allergic to bee venom?
- Where will I keep my hive?
- Will I be able to visit my hive regularly?
- Is it an expensive hobby?
- What initial things will I need to purchase?
- When is the best time to start beekeeping?
- Where can I get help if I have difficulties?
Bees Sting
Before starting beekeeping I had never been stung by a bee or a wasp. But other insects bites made me very itchy. Probably unwisely, but I tested my reaction to a bee sting on the day my hive was already set in my garden. It was moderate (as I had expected). The testing was in the evening when I was adding some candy pollen to the hive. Very unwisely, I did not wear my beekeeping suit, as I thought the bees would be already settling for the night. However, there are always bees in a hive performing guard duties — and one of them apparently perceived me as a threat despite me bearing gifts, and in the noble spirit of protecting her colony, she stung me (fortunately for me) on the leg.
I knew that I would not react as badly as to experience anaphylactic shock, but I think it is better to find it out in advance. Would it be a permanent barrier to enjoy beekeeping? For some people — yes, for others — no: I have heard of beekeepers with severe allergic reaction to bee venom, but they still enjoy this hobby. They do take all the necessary precautions though.
Bees In My Back Garden — Pros and Cons
During my first year I kept my hive in the garden. It looked idyllic (initially) but it was not convenient. Being a keen gardener I tend to my lawn and flower borders regularly, I enjoy the aesthetics of a nice looking, and in my case, traditional English style garden. My bees also enjoyed quite a few plants in my garden but they were not keen on me mowing the lawn or weeding the border close to the hive. So, that I had to do in twilight.
I am also a dog owner, and I adore them. Dogs are very curious, and a hive is a definite draw. In retrospective I think that was the biggest thing to which I had not given necessary consideration. I had been told that dogs would naturally keep away from bees. But they did not, at least not mine. The first thing one of my dogs did was to walk straight to the hive and put the face close to its entrance. I was stunned for a split of a second, the bees also seemed to be stunned by such insolence. Then I scooped the dog away and removed them all from the garden. Fortunately I had some garden netting with which I separated the hive. But it no longer looked aesthetically pleasing.
Also the bees’ main flight trajectory was over the lawn. Unfortunately these lovely insects have a very short life span (that is considered to be one of the main reasons why bees cannot be domesticated). Some died during their flight and fell on the lawn. So I was constantly picking up dead or nearly dead bees so that we did not step on them with their stings still quite active. Also one of the dogs was chased once by a bee and was then apprehensive when entering the garden. Having this experience, I think that I would not have a hive in my garden (unless it is a very big garden, and bees can be separated by tall shrubs where they will not be disturbed).
Being Close To My Bees — Definite Advantage!
Despite all that the process of beekeeping turned out to be absolutely fascinating. Just watching bees hurrying in and out of their hive is very therapeutic. When bees start bringing nectar, the honey aroma even 2 meters away from the hive is divine. I set up my hive in March, and at the end of May we were tasting the first honey — and it was the most fragrant, floral, fresh, delicious ever!
From practical point of view it was great to have the hive close. I could go there when I needed or wanted to, and all bits and bobs were conveniently in the shed next to it. That was when I became convinced that though I had to move the hive out of the garden, it would have to be somewhere close.
The following year I moved my hive into my neighbour’s field surrounded by a massive hedge with abundance of nectar and pollen rich shrubs, trees and flowers. It was a walking distance for me, though I had to use a wheelbarrow pretty much all the time — beekeeping is quite a heavy lifting activity. However, having bees in the field WAS idyllic: the bees could carry on with their business undisturbed, and we could once again enjoy relaxing in our garden. In fact, that is an ideal location as mentioned in “Beekeeping for dummies” by H. Blackiston (p. 49 Deciding Where to Locate Your Hives). Tested and confirmed by me as true: my third year of beekeeping was a success — 4 flourishing hives and so much honey that I had to sell some.
When we moved the house however and I had to spend about 2 hours driving there and back just to get to my apiary, I realised that it was not going to work. Beekeeping is a very active and engaging activity, and for someone like me with work, family and house to look after having bees miles away is a massive challenge. Eventually I moved my bees to a farm that was 5 minutes’ drive from my place. What a relief that was!
Beekeeping Expenses
I would say that beekeeping is not cheap to start with, depending on what and where you buy it could be in the region of £600 (and it is easy to get carried away, so I will have a separate post on how to keep costs down). However, once you keep it going, it is not expensive. Besides, healthy flourishing hives are always in demand (if for whatever reasons one can no longer look after them). And of course, bees produce delicious honey (and other good things) that one can always enjoy and even sell — not every hobby can pay for itself, but beekeeping certainly can. Also, a jar of my honey has always been a welcome and popular gift to my friends and neighbours, and as a thank you.
With How Many Hives Should I Start?
Currently, as a hobby I am quite happy with 3-6 hives.
But I agree with those beekeepers who advise that until you are confident enough to manage 1 beehive, it is best to stick to just 1. I personally started with 1 hive and a small colony of bees. And even with the help of my mentor it took me some time to begin managing the bees on my own with confidence. After all, they are unique living creatures, absolutely different from what I had ever experienced.
Here is a List of Beekeeping Hive Tools and Equipment To Start Your First Beehive
That was what I actually purchased:
- a colony of bees,
- a full hive (mine was an 8-frame Langstroth hive with 2 supers),
- frames and foundation for the brood box x 2,
- frames and foundation for 2 supers (plus, you will need nails, a small hammer and pliers),
- 1 extra hive set (to split my colony into 2 when time comes),
- a beekeeping suit,
- 2 pairs of rubber gloves,
- a kit including a smoker and 2 beehive tools (with a hook and a scraper),
- a blow torch with gas canister,
- a spray bottle for water (which I now use as an alternative to a smoker),
- 2,5 kg candy pollen (to help my new colony to develop),
- a plastic container, a pack of soda crystals and a durable metallic sponge (to wash the tools).
- Later I purchased things for honey extraction and anti-varroa treatment. I also borrowed some equipment from my local beekeepers’ association (which I joined from the start).
Time For Beekeeping
Beekeeping season is very active during spring and summer. As a general guidance it is a good practice to check your bees once a week. But it varies. Beekeeping is a complex (not complicated) and creative process. It allows everyone to find a personal approach to it. Also it never ceases to amaze how differently 2 seemingly identical hives standing next to each other behave. I have heard a lot of times a very popular phrase that bees do not read books and do their own, sometimes quite unexpected things. Personally for me, it makes beekeeping even more interesting.
Hygiene is extremely important, which means quite a lot of cleaning. I believe in replacing frames each year, cleaning the hives and (because I am always for esthetics 🙂 adding a fresh lick of organic paint to make them look like new each year. I melt wax and collect propolis. Time is needed for extracting and jarring honey, swarm preventing activities and winter preparations, and as always other bits and pieces. 🙂
Where Can I Get Help
There are various resources: printed (books, magazines, brochures prepared by experiences beekeepers) and online (BeeBase, BBKA, which would be helpful not just for UK beekeepers). If fact, there is so much information that it would take a lot of time just to browse through and may seems a bit overwhelming for a beginner. Personally, joining my local beekeepers’ association was the best thing to do: there are so many things you can pick up very quickly just listening and talking to your fellow beekeepers, and the presentations we have had are just brilliant and not to miss. I was also extremely fortunate to have my Dad doing a massive online research for me and advising me to try different techniques based on my circumstances. That has helped me immensely.
It has also led me to think of dedicating a website to new beekeepers. My main goal will be sharing my real life experience as a beekeeper in a simple, connected, step-by-step way to enable anyone to have a good start with this wonderful hobby that brings so much joy.
Conclusion
This is in a nutshell my way of answering the question of how to start beekeeping for beginners. I am sure there will be other questions and I will be delighted to answer as best as I can, and learn tips and ideas from my fellow beekeepers, both new and experienced.
Thank you for reading, and welcome to share your experience!
Your beekeeping journey offers practical advice for beginners, from a casual chat to unexpected connections and lessons. Insights on allergy testing, hive placement, and dealing with curious dogs provide valuable considerations. The move from your garden to a neighbor’s field adds a realistic touch to the joys and challenges of beekeeping.
Thoughts on expenses and the long-term affordability of beekeeping offer a practical perspective, showcasing the sweet rewards of this hobby. Emphasizing hygiene, time commitment, and the value of local beekeepers’ associations adds a thoughtful touch. In conclusion, your blog is an inspiring guide for beginners, capturing the essence of the beekeeping journey. May your bees thrive, and your enthusiasm inspires others in this buzzing community!
Thank you so much for such a detailed and positive review, I really appreciate it. We learn from what we do, from our successes and failures, but often other people’s observations and results make life just a bit easier. Even as a hobby beekeeping has its challenges, and I hope to help and overcome them as smoothly as possible.