Beginning Beekeeping
Cooperative Extension
University of Massachusetts
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Getting Started Being
A Beekeeper
Honey bees are truly
wondrous creatures, and keeping them can be a thoroughly rewarding
and enjoyable hobby. Getting started though is not always
easy. The path may be simple and straightforward, or it may
be strewn with difficulties. To ease your way and to make your
introduction to the world of the honey bee as enjoyable as possible,
consider taking the following steps:
Find an experienced, successful beekeeper who is willing to help you. Look over
his or her shoulder whenever possible, and ask lots of questions.
Recognize, however, that years of experience do not guarantee
a beekeeper's competence or success. It may actually be one
year of experience many times over. Select your mentor with
care.
There are a number
of good books available about beekeeping. Read two or three
of the more recent ones. Acquire one or two of the better ones
for your own library. Read them and reread them. In selecting
your books, realize that beekeeping is generally the same worldwide.
There are some national and regional differences, however, in
both equipment and methodology. Beginners will do well to stay
with books written for their own area. A New Englander,
for instance, might not be best served by a book written in
California or England.
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Start with new equipment
of standard design and dimensions. Used equipment or homemade
equipment both have the potential to bring problems that the
novice may not be equipped to recognize or handle. . Do not
experiment the first year. Learn and use basic methods. Then
you'll have a basis for comparison if you choose to experiment
in future years.
Do not buy a so-called
beginner's outfit until you know the use for each piece of equipment
and are sure that you want it. You may find that you are
better off making your own selection. A suggested list of equipment
follows this section.
Start with Italian
bees. They are the standard, the most common, and readily
available in this country. Those acquired from a competent breeder
are as gentle as any other race or strain available. In future
years you can experiment, and again, have a basis for comparison.
Start with a package
of bees rather than with a nucleus hive (a nuc) or an established
hive. Once past the initial awe and apprehension, the novice
can easily handle and install a package. By its nature a properly
bred package is non-aggressive. It is a unit that a beginner
can handle and relate to immediately. You will grow in confidence
and competence as the colony grows in size.
Start early enough
in the season, but not too early. Late April through early May
is appropriate for most of New England, and packages are readily
available during this period. .Recognize that you may not
get a surplus of honey the first year, especially from package
bees. The first year is a learning time for the beekeeper and
a building time for the bees.
Join your local beekeepers' association. These groups welcome and encourage beginners.
You will find kindred souls there. Beekeeping is much more difficult
to learn in isolation, and beekeeper associations are a prime
source of information about books and other publications, classes
and workshops, and beekeeping events in the area. Many associations
hold annual bee schools for beginners. You can usually get information
on your local association from the county extension office.
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Basic Equipment
A look through any
beekeeping catalog will show an array of equipment and supplies
that can be over- whelming to a potential beekeeper. However,
the amount of equipment that is actually required during the first
year is relatively small. Experience will guide you in subsequent
years. In New England most beekeepers use two full-depth hive
bodies as their basic unit, with supers (superstructure) added
and removed as appropriate during the active season. The following
list includes everything needed to maintain one colony for the
entire first season.
Complete Two-Story Hive
Bottom board with entrance reducer.
Hive bodies (2), full depth, 9l/2"
Frames (20), full depth, 91/8", with wedge top bar and two
piece or split bottom bar.
Foundation (20), full depth, 8«", wire reinforced.
Support pins (4 per frame) or frame wire and eyelets.
Inner cover, ventilated.
Outer cover, telescoping.
Honey Supers
Super, shallow, 5 l l/'l6" or mid-depth,
6Ys".
Frames, ( 10), shallow, 53/8" or mid-depth, 61/4').
Foundation, wired, shallow, 43/4" or mid-depth, 55/8".
Support pins (4 per frame), or frame wire and eyelets.
In the long run you will want at least two or three supers
per colony.
In the long run you will want at least two or three supers
per colony.
In the first year you may need only
one extra super.
Bees
3 Ib. package of Italian bees with
queen.
Necessary Equipment
Hive tool, 10".
Smoker, 4" diameter or larger.
Veil and helmet.
Feeder (top feeder recommended).
Optional Equipment
Gloves.
Coveralls.
Queen excluder.
Compiled by Richard E. Bonney
Department of Entomology
Fernald Hall
Amherst, MA 01003
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Bee-Ginners Tips
Interested in an alternative and economical way of beekeeping ?
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