IS BEEKEEPING for me?

Beekeeping can be an immensely rewarding hobby, a source of guilt if you cannot give colonies the necessary attention at the right time, an expensive pastime, or a useful secondary source of income.

Before getting into beekeeping you should think about what you want from it, and what you are prepared to put in. People start keeping bees for many different reasons. Some simply enjoy honey and want to produce enough for their own needs. For many, a general interest in the honey bee or ecology prompts them to acquire hives. Others have economic reasons, and are attracted by the ideas of ‘free’ honey or pollination, or a profitable sideline business.

Before you start

Here are a few things you should think about before deciding