Beekeeping Information

In order to reap the benefits of a profitable beekeeping business you must first gain the knowledge of how to control the raising of the bees. This can be a very rewarding hobby.

For someone wanting to start beekeeping they must have the right equipment. You will need the components for the hive, first. A beginner should should purchase packaged bees which is a already established sworm of bees rather than trying to capture a sworm in the wild. You will also need protective gear and the tools for gathering the honey and the bee source. The protected gear used is a bee suit, glove, and veil. The honey bee usually only stings when it is protecting the hive so beekeepers use a smoker to sudue the bees. Smoke will make the bees want to leave the hive thinking there is a fire and it also distorts the pheromone produced by the guard bees when an intruder is detected at the hive.

The honey bee is a social insect that live in a colony containing thousands of bees that work together in building a hive, collecting food, and taking care of the young bee larva. Honey is the main reason that beekeepers keep bees to sell for a profit. Gathering the honey from the hive can be a bit tricky, but it is important not to leave the honey in the hive for to long a period. The honey will get darker the longer it stays in the hive which does not effect the taste but most people prefer a lighter color honey and it gives the bees more room to store more honey by removing the honey from the hive. When the beekeeper sees wax caps over the honey cells it is time to collect the honey. If you collect the honey to soon it will contain to water and spoil or ferment. So it is important to collect the honey at the right time. The best time to get the honey is in the morning when the bees are busy out of the hive collecting food.

You also need to check your local laws for beekeeping in the area in which you want start keeping bees to see if any restrictions apply. Also try to keep the hive away from recreational areas and houses to protect the public from bee stings.