So, you are interested in becoming a beekeeper? Let me be the first to welcome you to this fascinating hobby! The purpose of my Beekeeping Central is to, first and foremost, give an overview of the equipment needed to get you started. Second, I will provide you with a few critical elements of beekeeping to aid you in keeping your colony active and productive.
Beginning beekeepers, naturally, want to be held by the hand and told when and where to do things. That is not always possible. You are going to need to rely on books to guide you through the process. If you are lucky, you may find an experienced beekeeper that will allow you to visit their apiary. The knowledge that you will gain will be well worth the time you spend with the veteran beekeeper.
One thing to keep in mind, however, that you will not become an accomplished beekeeper overnight. Beekeeping is not a simple hobby, but it is rewarding. It can take up to five years before you start to feel that you are mastering the art of beekeeping. Even the most experienced beekeepers know that you never learn all there is to know. You will continue to learn new ways every season. The most critical aspect in all of this is that you should make some attempt at learning the basics before you ever handle a hive of your own. That is where this page comes in. It will give you the basics without diving too deep into the craft.
Below you will find a list of the basic things you will need to start your hive.
- Hive(s)
- Frames
- Smoker
- Hive Tools
- Queen Catcher
- Bee Suit
- Gloves
- Shoes/Boots
- Essential Oils
- Feeders
- Sugar
- Queen Excluder
- Queen Marker
- Bees
- The Queen
