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    Beekeeping for Beginners: An Introduction To The Amazing World Of Bees
    Beekeeping for Beginners: An Introduction To The Amazing World Of Bees
    Beekeeping for Beginners: An Introduction To The Amazing World Of Bees
    Ebook226 pages2 hours

    Beekeeping for Beginners: An Introduction To The Amazing World Of Bees

    By Randy Stevens

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    About this ebook

    How to harvest delicious honey in your backyard to give your flowers the boost they need?


     


    You’ve always had a bit of a green thumb, planting both food crops and flowers. But recent years have been disappointing, and you’re considering scaling back your garden.


     


    That’s when you visit your friend. They’re always up to something, and this year is no different. Walking up to their house, you’re greeted by a garden that is positively bursting with color. The backyard is remarkably, even better.


     


    How did they do it?


     


    “Bees,” says your friend, casually. The bee colonies they started a couple of years ago have ensured fully pollinated plants and great harvests. This, not to mention the side business he started selling the honey and wax.


     


    They suggest you do it, too.


     


    There are a lot of reasons to keep bees, including:


     


    ⚫Pollinating your other plants


    ⚫Improving harvests


    ⚫Harvesting honey, wax, and pollen


    ⚫Getting outside more often


    ⚫Supporting the local ecosystem


    ⚫Starting a business


     


    In recent years, there has substantial growth in urban agriculture and homesteading. This includes beekeeping. Aside from the benefits of a better garden and outdoor activity, it helps the ecology and food supply.


     


    The Food and Agriculture Organization predicts that if the trend continues, by 2035 the common honeybee might disappear. This means that at a macro-level these highly-effective pollinators are needed more than ever.


     


    In addition to making a valuable contribution to the world, beekeeping is a meditative and relaxing activity. Handling bees with ease in full gear, you can’t help but look like a rockstar.


     


    Of course, there is work and learning involved, but this effort can be invigorating, even before considering all the other benefits. The first step is figuring out if beekeeping is for you and then starting small, step by step, to get firsthand experience.


     


    Here’s a select sample of what you’ll discover in Beekeeping for Beginners:


     


    ⚫Step by step instructions for setting up and cultivating your bee colonies


    ⚫Drones, workers, and queen, oh my! Understanding bee colony dynamics for a happy hive


    ⚫Gardening for bees – finding your bee’s favorite plants for productive colonies


    ⚫A complete list of considerations and expectations to determine if beekeeping is for you


    ⚫Building your beehive with effective design and straightforward construction


    ⚫Protecting your hive from common threats and keeping them healthy


    ⚫How to find the necessary support to avoid costly mistakes


     


    And much more.


     


    Some people are resistant to starting bee colonies because the thought of being around a lot of bees can be intimidating.


     


    The key is to wear the right gear, start small with just a couple of colonies, and practice the techniques to build facility and confidence. After a while, the bees become just a normal part of the routine.


     


    If you want to level up your garden and do something epic this year, scroll up and click the ‘Add to Cart’ button.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCreative Minds Publishing
    Release dateOct 31, 2019

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      Book preview

      Beekeeping for Beginners - Randy Stevens

      Beekeeping for Beginners

      An Introduction to the Amazing World of Bees

      By Randy Stevens

      © Copyright 2019 by Randy Stevens- All rights reserved.

      This document is geared towards providing exact and reliable information in regards to the topic and issue covered. The publication is sold with the idea that the publisher is not required to render accounting, officially permitted, or otherwise, qualified services. If advice is necessary, legal or professional, a practiced individual in the profession should be ordered.

      - From a Declaration of Principles which was accepted and approved equally by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations.

      In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

      The information provided herein is stated to be truthful and consistent, in that any liability, in terms of inattention or otherwise, by any usage or abuse of any policies, processes, or directions contained within is the solitary and utter responsibility of the recipient reader. Under no circumstances will any legal responsibility or blame be held against the publisher for any reparation, damages, or monetary loss due to the information herein, either directly or indirectly.

      Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.

      The information herein is offered for informational purposes solely, and is universal as so. The presentation of the information is without contract or any type of guarantee assurance.

      The trademarks that are used are without any consent, and the publication of the trademark is without permission or backing by the trademark owner. All trademarks and brands within this book are for clarifying purposes only and are the owned by the owners themselves, not affiliated with this document.

      Table of Contents

      Preface: From the Horse's Mouth 1

      Introduction 19

      Part 1: Bees 23

      Chapter 1: Life of Bees 25

      Chapter 2: Bee Colonies 39

      Chapter 3: Raising Bees 59

      Part 2: Beekeeping 83

      Chapter 4: How to Start 85

      Chapter 5: Going Deeper 105

      Chapter 6: Beekeeping 101 123

      Chapter 7: As Sweet as Honey 143

      Chapter 8: Honey Harvesting, Processing, and Classification 163

      Closure 197

      Preface

      From the Horse's Mouth

      They say that learning from your mistakes is the best, but the most expensive way to learn, and many beekeepers learn things the hard way.

      People start beekeeping for different reasons and under different circumstances. Some inherit honeybee colonies from their parents or grandparents, others try to motivate themselves to spend more time outdoors so choose beekeeping as an outdoor hobby which doesn't require physical fitness. Many get into beekeeping after becoming intrigued by it from a program they saw on TV, others because they would like to make a profit from honey, etc.

      Your reasons for beekeeping, as well as your circumstances, is what will determine the way you go about it. If you inherit old hives and colonies you are more likely to stick to the way beekeeping was practiced by your ancestors. If, on the other hand, you start from scratch, getting new hives, equipment, and colonies you are much more likely to follow the latest scientific advice when it comes beekeeping techniques, pest management, honey harvesting, etc.

      Besides, you shouldn't forget the weather. Many experienced beekeepers claim that beekeeping used to be much easier 30 years ago, partly because varroa wasn't a problem, the environment wasn't as polluted as it is today, but mainly because the climate was much more predictable. Although even then there were good years and bad years and floods, droughts, and unexpected storms occasionally wreaked havoc on bee colonies, those were few and far between.

      Today, the situation is very different and although the climate change effect varies throughout the world, beekeepers are much more at the mercy of the elements than they used to be and their profit is no longer guaranteed.

      In any case, climate change is here to stay and there is very little we can do about it. However, learning about the latest scientific advice on beekeeping techniques can help you reduce or at least control the negative effects of adverse and unpredictable weather conditions.

      For a start, follow the 25 commandments of successful beekeeping which is advice from the horse's mouth on how to avoid the many traps that newbies often fall into.

      25 commandments for successful and stress-free beekeeping:

      To bee or not to bee

      Is beekeeping right for you? Even with the good protection, you'll often have to deal with bee stings. Multiple stings are particularly common if you don't always wear the bee suit or veil, if the bees are upset (eg because of the wind or the coming storm), if you are nervous when handling them (which is common with beginners), etc.

      So, even if you're not allergic to bee stings that doesn't mean that receiving 40 stings in just a few minutes will not make you sick. While many people handle this calmly (more or less), others become hysterical (I've seen it).

      So, I assume that if you plan to start beekeeping, you're not one of those people who are neurotic about insects – if you are, forget about raising bees because handling bees is not only about avoiding being stung, it is being able to cope with hundreds or thousands of bees buzzing around your face even if they can't harm you.

      Tip: Invest in good beekeeping suit and gloves and wear boots when working with bees.

      Start small

      Until you are 100% sure this is the right hobby or profession for you, don't go out and buy 20 or more colonies – unless you have someone else take care of them and you are simply investing into bee business.

      Bees are such amazing creatures and many people become bewitched by bees when they start beekeeping. At first, you'll probably want to spend as much time around your colonies as possible. That is great, however, beekeeping also means a lot of hard work, sometimes in very hot weather (and believe me, under the bee suit it is at least 10 degrees warmer). There'll also be years when you might not get any honey as well as years when you might have to deal with major disappointments, such as when most of your colonies die because of varroa mite infestation.

      I read somewhere that although beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular, over 70% of beekeepers quit after the first two years. So, if you plan to do beekeeping yourself, don't start with more than 5 colonies so that even if you decide this is not really for you, you will not have spent a fortune on hives, bees, and equipment.

      Tip: Don't invest a lot of money into your honeybee colonies until you know you have what it takes to be a beekeeper.

      Don't experiment with new beekeeping techniques until you've mastered the standard ones

      There are different ways of doing things, including beekeeping. However, new and often little known techniques don't always work and if you're a novice, you may not be able to recognize the signs of a failing colony. Even if you do, you will not have the experience to handle the crisis.

      Tip: Stick to the time-tested beekeeping techniques, at least for the first 3 years.

      Don't keep different types of hives in your bee yard

      Most people use one type of hive but sometimes people are intrigued by the good results achieved with some other types of hives, so may want to try working with them as well. There's nothing wrong with this, provided you have sufficient experience in beekeeping, otherwise it may all become too much for you to handle.

      Tip: Choose one type of hive you want to work with and stick to it.

      Find a mentor because some things are almost impossible to figure out on your own even with all the help from the Internet

      It will take you much less time to learn about the beekeeping techniques if you see how it's done than if you read about it. Learning it by trial-and-error is possible, but it will take a long time and may include unnecessary deaths.

      Tip: Learn from someone who's been into beekeeping for at least a few years, rather than trying to work it out on your own.

      Choose your mentor carefully

      Being a mentor is not easy unless you enjoy sharing your knowledge with others. So, you can't force someone to teach you because this can be quite timeconsuming with you asking a million questions and the mentor having to answer them.

      Besides, not everyone is a good teacher and it is well-known that some very experienced beekeepers simply don't know how to explain things. You can learn by simply watching them do it, but there are things which need to be explained not just seen.

      However, stay away from those who brag about their beekeeping experience, especially if they claim their way of beekeeping is the only right way to keep bees, or that the type of hive they use is the best hive to use.

      Tip: If you have a choice, choose a mentor others recommend, not someone who recommends himself.

      Cash in on your mentor's experience

      This is important because different hives require different techniques so by helping your mentor in his bee yard you will learn how to manage your own hives, provided they are the same type your mentor is using.

      Tip: Use the same type of hive that your mentor is using.

      Take advice from the Internet with a grain of salt

      Don't trust everything you read or are told. Before you start working with a mentor or following Beekeeping Forums on the Internet, read at least one book on beekeeping so you have an idea of what beekeeping is all about.

      Although the Internet and social networks are a great source of information, people put all sorts of texts there, often giving advice about something they only read about. So, even if you're a beginner use common sense when considering someone's advice.

      Tip: Be selective with the information you take in.

      Take beekeeping seriously, even you have only a couple of colonies

      One of the reasons so many new beekeepers quit after only a couple of years is that they believe that having a bee yard is a guarantee of a good harvest. Beekeeping is a business like any other, so take it seriously and play by the book.

      Tip: Although fewer colonies mean less work, it doesn't mean bees will take care of themselves while all you do is collect honey.

      In beekeeping, good timing is key to a successful harvest

      One of the first things you should learn is that there is usually a relatively small window of opportunity for certain tasks to be performed in your bee yard. If you miss that window, the next opportunity will be next year. So, in beekeeping,

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