On average, it is said that every person consumes around 1.3 pounds of honey on a yearly basis. If you have plans to get started with beekeeping and you wish to harvest delicious raw honey right in the comforts of your own backyard, you might be surprised to know that it is actually so much easier than what you think.
Aside from having some of the basic equipment and tools for keeping bees, you only need two important things and these are none other than dedication and knowledge.
Below are a few dos and don’ts you need to remember before you embark on your apiary endeavors.
Table of Contents
Do Lots of Research
See to it that you conduct research as much as possible before you decide to keep bees in the first place. The good news is that there are now a lot of helpful resources online that you can refer to or you can also participate in the local apiary club in your area. It is important that you know all necessary details about bees, how they work, the foods they eat, and how you can maintain your beekeeping hive the right way.
Beekeeper holding a beekeeping hive frame
Do Buy New Apiary Equipment
There are a lot of beekeepers who opt to go down the DIY route and try building the structures on their own. Even though it may help you save money, many experts don’t really recommend it since beekeeping materials are quite cheap to begin with. Your apiary can already run at just around $100 while your beekeeper suit will cost you about $100 as well.
Beekeeping equipment for beginners
Plan to get bees that will cost you around $100 up to $200. The rest of the necessary equipment may bring it to a total price of lower than $500. There is no need for you to build your equipment just yet since you still have to completely understand how things work. It is only after you get enough experience with using the equipment will you be able to gain sufficient knowledge for building a proper apiary.
Don’t Purchase an Uninspected Hive
When it is required in your area, make sure that your state’s department of agriculture already conducted a thorough inspection of your hives before you take them home. The last thing you want is to expose your bees and all the bees around you to some contagious diseases.
Don’t Forget Checking the Zoning Laws
Although bees don’t really cause some serious disturbance, it is still important to ensure that raising bees and beekeeping on your property is allowed in your area. It is also important to make sure that you got lots of room for the bees. According to experts, you can have up to two hives for every 1/10 of an acre in general.
These are only some of the dos and don’ts that you need to remember during your endeavor in beekeeping. Make sure that you are familiar with all the ins and outs of this hobby before you embark on it to ensure the best results.
