Beekeeping for beginners: where to start

Beekeeping for beginners can seem like a difficult and painstaking task. In fact, the result more than justifies the effort. With the right approach to the craft, it is possible to expand the production of honey without much cost. To do this, beginners need to familiarize themselves with the basic secrets of caring for bees.

Apiary for beginners

Before breeding bees, you should acquire basic knowledge in order to subsequently apply them in practice. A beginner beekeeper needs to start studying with the physiology of Hymenoptera. Basic information can be taken from the scientific literature on beekeeping. It is equally important to understand the principles of the apiary structure. After all, it is she who is the main place for further work of a beginner with bees. A city dweller will have to purchase a plot in a rural area.

The size of the apiary, the photo of which is placed below, is selected individually, depending on further plans for breeding insects. If the main goal of a novice beekeeper is to sell products, it is necessary to prepare a large area. If the apiary is being built out of amateur interest, a small part of the personal plot for beekeeping will be enough.

What is an apiary

An apiary is a specially equipped area where beehives with bees are located. Caring for bees and arranging their homes allows you to get a crop in the form of various beekeeping products. In the future, they are eaten and used for medicinal purposes.

Beekeeping has spread tens of thousands of years ago. Initially, this type of agriculture was a kind of active gathering. In the future, domestic breeds of bees began to be bred. In ancient Egypt, beehives were made from silt. Outwardly, they resembled miniature earthen pots. The modern look of the construction was received only in Kievan Rus, in the VIII century. During this period, the hives began to be wooden houses with a hinged lid. They were placed in the thick of the forest.

In modern beekeeping, the apiary is placed in close proximity to civilization. For beginners, this facilitates the process of observing the bee family. A control hive must be built in the apiary. It serves as an indicator for assessing the productivity of beekeeping. In addition to beehives, drinkers are installed on the territory of the apiary. The most optimal place for their placement for beginners is on the edge of the territory. In beekeeping, apiaries are divided into the following varieties:

• pollinated;
• complex;
• honey-commodity;
• queen bee;
• pollinated honey.

How many beehives are in the apiary

Breeding bees for beginners starts with the selection of the territory. Since bees love free space, one hive will require at least 1,5 m². In the process of learning, a few small beehives are enough for beginners. Experienced beekeepers prefer to keep 10-30 hives under control. In total, beekeeping will require 15-45 m². It is also necessary to take care of the reserve territory, as production may expand over time.

Is it worth it to start one hive

In order to learn beekeeping, even one hive is enough for beginners. The swarming process will lead to the fact that by spring there will be two from one bee colony. But you need to understand that a small apiary carries a big risk. The result depends on how responsibly the novice beekeeper approaches beekeeping.

What is needed for and how to get an apiary passport

In order to be able to sell beekeeping products, it is necessary to register the apiary accordingly. After paperwork, a beginner beekeeper is issued an apiary passport. It indicates the conditions for keeping bees, the strength of their health, the breed and the list of honey plants growing around. With a passport, the following actions become available:

• foundation acquisition;
• buying and selling bees;
• changing the location of the apiary;
• sale of any beekeeping products.

The veterinary-sanitary passport includes 7 subsections. It is signed by an official who, as part of a general check, conducted laboratory tests. To obtain a document, you should contact the district branch of the veterinary station. First, they submit an application, the form of which can be downloaded on the Internet. Then an inspector comes to the apiary of a novice breeder. He takes samples from the hive and sends them to the lab. After receiving the results, a decision is made to issue a passport. In the future, the apiary is checked annually. After each visit of the inspector, appropriate marks are put in the passport. The need to obtain a new document in beekeeping arises when the owner of the apiary changes or in the event of the end of blank sheets in the old document.

In beekeeping, problems with obtaining a passport for beginners may arise if deviations are found as part of laboratory tests. In this case, it is necessary to thoroughly disinfect the apiary and eliminate the source of the problem. Only then will a re-inspection be scheduled.

After obtaining a passport, beginner beekeepers have the opportunity to obtain other types of documents. They are needed if the beekeeper wants to win over the buyer, confirming the high quality of honey. An analysis of the absence of heavy metals in bee products is done at will. A certificate of bee brood confirms the absence of foulbrood in the biomaterial.

Choosing a place for apiary

Before you start breeding bees, you need to pay attention to the selection of the territorial location of the apiary. Bees breed best near fruit crops. It is desirable that the hives are located in the shade and away from drafts. The most suitable microclimate is observed in the southern part of the site. It is there that the bees more successfully endure wintering. It is important to take care of the closest location to the honey plant apiary. Beginners are advised to establish an apiary near flowering meadows and orchards with fruit crops.

What a beginner beekeeper needs to know about honey plants

To become a beekeeper from scratch, you need to study not only information about bees, but also analyze the best honey plants. Among the trees, beekeepers distinguish:

• linden;
• live;
• cherry
• viburnum;
• forest raspberries;
• mountain ash;
• plum;
• apple tree
• blackcurrant.

To get a good bribe, some beginner beekeepers sow the area with honey plants on their own. Thus, they significantly increase the quality and quantity of the crop. The most common flower honey plants include:

• clover;
• catnip;
• phacelia;
• Melissa;
• cucumber grass.

What do you need to breed bees?

The process of breeding bees at home for beginners must begin with the preparation of inventory and the purchase of bees. You can buy hives ready-made or make your own. The second option involves the use of soft woods. When constructing a hive, it is necessary to focus on the drawings of experienced beekeepers.

To protect the hives from the weather, paint them with varnish-paint. When choosing a paint color, it is not recommended to give preference to black and red, since bees do not distinguish between them. In beekeeping, it is desirable to use bright colors.

It is equally important to stock up on foundation sheets. They are inserted into an empty frame and then attached to it with a hot roller. If you do not put a frame with foundation in the hive, the bees will build up too many defective cells.

Choosing hives for a beginner beekeeper

If you start beekeeping without experience, you can make mistakes at the beginning of the journey. It is advisable to study in advance all the nuances of the production of bee products. For experienced beekeepers, multi-level structures will be the best option. In them, the bees develop much faster. A beginner in beekeeping will not be able to cope with such a hive alone.

Many beekeepers prefer to make their own bee houses. This allows you to choose the most optimal design option for your capabilities.

Initially, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the varieties of bee houses. They are:

• horizontal;
• vertical;
• monohull;
• multi-hull.

When choosing a hive variety, it is necessary to take into account the physical capabilities of the novice breeder and how often he will visit the apiary. It is equally important to focus on the chosen breed of Hymenoptera.

The simplest houses are sunbeds of 20 frames. They do not need to be moved from place to place, which simplifies the activity of a beginner in beekeeping. The advantages of such hives include the possibility of keeping two families at once. In this case, they are separated from each other by a partition.

What a beginner beekeeper needs to know about inventory

The presence of inventory in the apiary allows a novice to perform the necessary actions with bees at any time. Required tools include:

• frames;
• wax
• roller for building frames;
• smoker
• chisel;
• diaphragm with grating;
• electrocutters;
• honey extractor;
• protective suit.

The rest of the tools beginners purchase as needed. If there is a desire to measure the daily weight gain of the hive, you can buy scales. But most often, novice beekeepers do without them. If there is a need to remove queens, you will need:

• dividing grid;
• drone trap;
• insulator;
• incubator;
• portable equipment.

Tips for a beginner beekeeper on choosing clothes

Beekeeping is considered quite dangerous. In the case of a Hymenoptera bite, Quincke’s edema can develop, which is fatal. Therefore, it is important to avoid direct contact with bees. The main condition for working in beekeeping is the absence of open skin areas. The beginner’s protective kit must include the following items of clothing:

• closed shoes;
• gloves;
• overalls;
• jacket;
• mask.

The cuffs of the novice breeder’s clothing should be elasticated, as the bee is able to climb inside the suit. It is recommended to pay attention to white clothes. It does not cause aggression in bees. The material must be durable, smooth and water-repellent. Specialized overalls and jackets have a multilayer structure. Some of them are fire resistant.

Learning beekeeping from scratch

The basics of bee care for beginners can be learned in specialized courses. You can also use the information about beekeeping, obtained on the Internet. If you plan to make beekeeping your main activity, you can enter a higher educational institution. To try themselves in practice, some beginners go to help experienced beekeepers. This helps to visually understand the principle of working with bees. Of great importance in beekeeping is the desire to develop and learn new things. This will allow the introduction of modern systems that improve the quality of the crop.

Selection and acquisition of bees

The breeding technique of bees is determined by their breed. The behavior of working individuals, the tendency to swarm and resistance to harsh climates depend on it.

If a purebred breed is important to a beginner beekeeper, he should go to a specialized nursery. In more severe climatic conditions, Central bees are used in beekeeping. In the southern regions, productive Caucasian women are in demand. If the choice is on the Carpathian breed, you need to remember that it is prone to swarming.

The main factor that you need to pay attention to when choosing bees for beginners is the resistance of the breed to the area where the apiary is planned to be built. The purchase must be made at a place located no further than 15 km from the apiary. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the health of the bees. Negative signs include torn wings and petrified brood at the bottom of the hive. The seller must show the buyer the uterus. The strength of the bee colony depends on its condition.

Where can you get bees

To get bees from scratch, you need to visit a specialized nursery. The cost depends on the breed. You can also buy bees from a private person. The price of one family varies from 3000 to 8000 rubles.

Some beekeepers catch wild bees on their own. They are considered more productive, but embittered. Therefore, the process of fishing is quite difficult for beginners. The most suitable way to catch a swarm is to use a trap.

The right time to buy bees

Buying bees for beginners is best done in early spring. During this period, it is possible to analyze the state of the family and the activity of the uterus with the greatest accuracy. The bees complete their flight and carry out an audit of stocks. During the summer, bees are at their peak. During transportation, there is a risk of death of the uterus or brood. This often happens with beginner beekeepers. Buying bees in late autumn eliminates the possibility of checking the family for serious diseases.

How to choose a breed of bees

It is important for beginners to know everything about bees and beekeeping. This will allow you to choose the right breed of bees, thereby increasing the profitability of production. The following breeds are most common in Our Country:

• Central ;
• gray mountain Caucasian;
• Krajina;
• Carpathian.

The choice should be based on the territorial location of the apiary. If you start a breed that is not resistant to cold in harsh conditions, the family will gradually die out.

Life cycle of a honey bee

Knowledge of the subtleties of the life cycle of Hymenoptera will allow beginners in beekeeping to control all the processes occurring within the family. In total, the lifespan of a honey bee is 40 days. Individuals born in autumn live longer, as they do not have to exhaust themselves with spring work. A bee goes through several stages of development throughout its life:

• egg;
• larva;
• an adult.

It takes about 3 days from the moment of oviposition to hatching of the larvae. Workers feed the larvae. First, they are given royal jelly, and later – bee bread and honey. After 7 days, adults carry out the process of sealing the larvae in the comb. By this time, they no longer fit in their cell. After 12 days, an adult bee appears through the shell.

At first, she is in the hive, gaining strength for the flight. Her task at this stage is to clean the cells in order to prepare them for oviposition. The first 4 days the bee is fed by her companions. In the future, she can get her own food on her own. This is due to the beginning of the formation of glands responsible for the production of royal jelly.

After 22 days from birth, the bee becomes an adult. She is engaged in the collection and transportation of nectar. In one flight, a working individual is able to carry about 40 mg of nectar. Honey bees are constantly on the move, so they have a fairly short lifespan.

What a beginner beekeeper should know about bee nutrition

In spring, bees feed on pollen and nectar. In the course of their work, the bees process them into honey. During wintering, the main food is honey, stored since spring. In some cases, a novice beekeeper has to feed his wards with sugar syrup or vitamin supplements. It is especially important to ensure the availability of fresh food in winter, when the bees use more energy than usual.

How to care for bees for beginners

The profitability of beekeeping for beginners largely depends on the quality of bee care. In the apiary, it is important to regularly carry out work aimed at maintaining the health of the bees and increasing the yield. Mandatory procedures in beekeeping include:

• disease prevention;
• top dressing;
• cleaning the hive from dirt and old brood;
• arrangement of the hive for the winter;
• breeding new queens.

What difficulties will you face: diseases and pests of bees

Beginners can judge the strength of the health of bees by the entrance of the hive. If dead or inactive individuals are present on it, we can talk about a disease in the family. Not a single beekeeper is immune from their development. Invasive and infectious diseases are the most common in beekeeping. They can be caused by a fungus, bacteria or viruses. The most common diseases include:

• melanosis;
• aspergillosis;
• paratyphoid;
• varroatosis;
• nematode;
• colibacillosis.

To prevent the development of dangerous diseases, it is necessary to fumigate the hive in a timely manner and treat it with special solutions. For each disease there is a specific remedy. A novice beekeeper can understand the presence of diseases by reducing the activity of working individuals. Some bees may lie motionless near the flight board. Past illnesses significantly weaken the family. Therefore, it is important to carry out the prevention of various ailments in time.

All about beekeeping: tips for beginners

Beginners in the field of beekeeping should listen to more experienced comrades. It is much easier to learn from the mistakes of others. To make beekeeping as profitable as possible, you should:

• prepare for wintering since spring;
• purchase inventory only in specialized stores;
• regularly take measures to improve the health of the family;
• start breeding Hymenoptera with no more than 5 hives;
• keep cleanliness in the apiary.

How to start beekeeping from scratch and not make mistakes

Based on the experience of other beekeepers, beginners can avoid possible problems with working in the apiary. Therefore, it is extremely important for beginners to listen to the advice of more experienced colleagues. The most common mistakes beginner beekeepers make are:

• lack of fodder stock;
• the presence of diseases of bees;
• improper storage of received beekeeping products;
• wrong choice of plants for honey collection;
• weakening of the family or the beginning of swarming.

Is beekeeping worth it?

Before starting to breed bees, beginners try to weigh the pros and cons of production. The main advantage of beekeeping is the ability to provide your family with any bee products. As you know, honey is not only a good alternative to sugar, but can also act as a medicine.

With the right approach, beekeeping for beginners can bring a good income. It directly depends on the efforts of the beekeeper. About 35 liters of honey can be collected from one nest per season. In monetary terms, this equals 20 rubles. You need to understand that working in the apiary for beginners requires physical resources. In addition, no one is immune from fire, natural disasters and theft of a bee family.

Conclusion

Beekeeping for beginners, in most cases, is of interest because of the possibility of obtaining benefits. But not everyone is ready to spend a maximum of free time searching for and studying information. If the beekeeper approaches his business with responsibility, the benefits will not be long in coming.