Important Things to Consider Before You Get Bees

After reading my, Matthew Davies, first few blogs, you have decided you are very interested in beekeeping. I think that is excellent news. While jumping into something headfirst can be a lot of fun, in this case, you would be better off to have a bit of preparation. Before committing fully to keeping bees, please consider the following questions.

After reading my first few blogs on the subject of beekeeping, you may be excited to try your hand at beekeeping as well, I, Matthew Davies, advise you to proceed with caution. While jumping into something headfirst can be a lot of fun, in this case, you would be better off taking time to prepare. Before committing fully to keeping bees, please consider the following questions.

Why do you want to keep bees?

With all the attention that bees are getting in the media lately, many people are considering taking up beekeeping to “save the bees.” If this is your reason for beekeeping, I submit that there are better ways that you could do this. One easy way is by supporting organizations such as The Xerces Society and The Pollinator Partnership. Another is to reduce the use of pesticide in your garden and/or grow some bee friendly plants.

If you are getting into beekeeping to make money, you need to understand that for the first few years, you will be making very little profit, if any at all. In fact, initially, you will need to invest a lot of time and money into beekeeping and making a significant profit from the start is highly unlikely.

However, if you are looking to start beekeeping so that you will have plenty of honey for you and your family, copious amounts of beeswax for candle making, a more pollinated garden, or are just looking for something to do in your downtime, then beekeeping might be right for you.

Do you have enough time?

In terms of pets or livestock, bees are very low maintenance. You will still need to take a long hard look at your schedule to make sure that you have enough time and energy to attend to your bees. There isn’t much use of having hives if you cannot keep them healthy and happy. Once your hive is up and running, you can expect to invest about 2 to 5 hours a week at a minimum caring for your bees. This includes time to check on your hives, harvest the honey, and clean the equipment. Don’t forget you will need to spend a little time making sure that your bees are not harboring disease and pests. This is very important to, not only your bees but the bee populations in general. If sick or infested, your bees could sicken other colonies in the area.

Are you willing to invest the money?

When getting started with beekeeping, you should be prepared to invest around $1,000 to get all of your equipment, woodenware, and bees. I strongly suggest that you only start with two hives. This will give you a real taste of what it will take to maintain your beehives. You can always add more hives later. 

Once you have established your hives, you will need to invest more money to maintain your colonies. You will need to cover the costs of medication, jars, and smoker fuel. There is a saying in the bee community, and it goes like this, “If you want to make a small fortune in beekeeping, you have to start with a large fortune.” I hate to break it to you like that, but it is true. Beekeeping requires an ongoing investment

What are the legal requirements for keeping bees in your area?

State and local governments have law regarding where citizens can harvest bees, and it’s important to be aware of these laws. For example, most states require that you register your bees. To learn what beekeeping regulations exist in your area, check with any local bee society or even city hall. Taking the time to learn the rules in your locality could save you a hefty fine in the future.

Do you have a place to put them?

While bees and their hives do not take up a lot of space, you still need to consider their placement. You should select a place that is a good distance away from the areas that you, your kids, or your pets will frequent. It is also possible to limit the bees’ range. This is done by placing a hedge or barrier around them, enticing them to go up rather than out. A five-foot radius around the center of the beehive should suffice

Are you physically strong enough?

Beekeeping may sound like leisurely hobby, but I can assure you that it is not. You will regularly have to lift about 40 pounds. There are different designs of beehives. Make sure to read up on how much they weigh before purchasing them and don’t forget to factor in the weight of bees. You don’t want to drop them, trust me.

Conclusion

I, Matthew Davies, hope that I have given you some things to think about before starting a beehive. These questions are not an attempt to deter you from starting an enjoyable hobby. They are only designed to make you think about the reason you want to take up beekeeping and know what to expect. I wish you the best of luck as well as a happy and healthy bee colony.

Why do you want to keep bees?

With all the attention that bees are getting in the media lately, many people are considering taking up beekeeping to “save the bees.” If this is your reason for beekeeping, I submit that there are better ways that you could do this. One easy way is by supporting organizations such as The Xerces Society and The Pollinator Partnership. If you are getting into beekeeping to make money, you need to understand that for the first few years, you will be making very little profit, if at all. You will need to invest a lot of time and money into beekeeping and making a significant profit from the start is highly unlikely.

However, if you are looking to start beekeeping so that you will have plenty of honey for you and your family, copious amounts of beeswax for candle making, a more pollinated garden, or just something to do in your downtime, then I think beekeeping might be right for you.

Do you have enough time?

In terms of pets or livestock, bees are very low maintenance. You will still need to take a long hard look at your schedule to make sure that you have enough time and energy to attend to your bees. There isn’t much use of having hives if you cannot keep them healthy and happy. In terms of time that you can expect to invest in beekeeping (once everything is up and running) is generally about 2 to 5 hours a week. This will include time to check on your hives, harvest the honey, or to clean the equipment. Don’t forget you will need to spend a little time making sure that your bees are not harboring disease and pests. This is very important to, not only your bees but bees in general. Your bees could pass these on to other colonies in the area. 

While you certainly can spend much more time than this, I have just given you the bare minimum. It is likely over time you will become much more obsessed with tending to your bees and spend a lot more time with them. Just make sure that you are accounting for everything when you are attempting to allocate time to beekeeping.

Are you willing to invest the money?

Be prepared to invest around $1,000 to get all of your equipment, woodenware, and bees. I strongly suggest that you only start with two hives. This will give you a real taste of what it will take to maintain your beehives. You can always add more hives later. 

Remember that $1,000 initial investment? Well, once you have established your hives, there will be more money to invest. This will include medication, jars, and smoker fuel. Additionally, once the obsession sets in, you will find yourself purchasing anything with a bee on it. There is a saying in the bee community, and it goes like this, “If you want to make a small fortune in beekeeping, you have to start with a large fortune.” I hate to break it to you like that, but it is true.

What are the legal requirements for keeping bees in your area?

One of the most important lessons that I have ever learned is to cover my six. That is to make sure that I have all my bases covered – even the one behind me. I am telling you this, so you avoid any legal action in the future. Many people set up beehives out of view of the public and their neighbors. While this works out well for people most of the time, some cases would suggest it is a bad idea. If you have your bees in good standing and registered at the state and local level, you will be fine. However, if you jump in and don’t register them, you may have legal bills that will add to that investment we were talking about earlier.

For the best information on this, you can check with any local bee society. Short of that, you can check with city hall. In either case, they will be able to share with you all the information that you will need to make sure that you don’t have to pay any additional fees while tending to your bees.

Do you have a place to put them?

While bees and their hives do not take up a lot of space, you still need to consider their placement. You should do this in a place that you, your kids, or your pets will frequent. There is a way that you can limit their range. This is done by placing a hedge or barrier around them. It will entice them to go up rather than out. Plan on a five-foot radius around the center of the beehive, and you will be set.

Are you physically strong enough?

Beekeeping may sound like easy work, but I can assure you that it is not. You will regularly have to lift about 40 pounds. If you currently have back pain, this will no doubt add to that. There are different designs of beehives, and all of them come with their nuances. Make sure to read up on how much they weigh before purchasing them. Don’t forget to add the weight of bees. You don’t want to drop them, trust me.

Conclusion I, Matthew Davies, hope that I have given you some things to think about before starting a beehive. These questions are not an attempt to deter you from starting an enjoyable hobby. They are only designed to make you think about the reason you want to take up beekeeping. I wish you the best of luck as well as a happy and healthy bee colony.