Beekeeping for Beginners
Of all the animals on our ranch, the bees have been the easiest for us so far. Full disclosure, we lost 2 hives before this 3rd one worked out and THEN became easy (explanation forthcoming).
The initial investment is a bit higher but then costs taper off. We needed to purchase the hive (around $150 for the one we selected), the hive itself ($175 for an established colony), and then the bee keeping equipment (protective gear, smoker, etc.) ($100). We also went into this knowing that we wouldn’t be reaping the benefits of any honey for at least a year as we let them fully get established and make enough honey to get them through the mild winter here.
The largest benefit of having bees, aside from the honey, is to help pollinate our garden. We put them in a shaded area that isn’t too far away from where it is to help out a little. We also wanted to begin with one hive and if it worked out, invest in a few more as there are some great tax benefits in doing so (review your county and state guidelines on keeping bees as this will vary!).
I mentioned we lost our first two hives. The first hive was absolutely owner error. We put our hive together, unfortunately, we missed a key step and put it together incorrectly. Our hive has a vent/whole to allow airflow. We failed to actually remove the pieces to allow this airflow which caused our bees to suffocate. The bee farm we purchased our hive from was EXTREMELY generous and provided us with another hive at no cost. The second hive simply absconded. We aren’t fully sure why they just left but they did. We think they left because the hive was in too much of an exposed spot.
Before we got the 3rd hive, we moved the hive to a nicer shaded area. We also purchased a fully established hive. We’ve now had this colony for 6 months and they are thriving! As a result, we pulled the trigger and have 4 additional hives ordered for the spring.
So what does bee maintenance and care look like? It’s been rather straightforward and simple.
We make sure they have access to fresh water near their hive along with vitamins, minerals, bee protein, and carbohydrates at dedicated intervals. I NEVER knew bees needed protein or carbs. It absolutely makes sense though. They are living beings just like you and I so their bodies need these things to remain healthy and prepare for what’s to come with the change of seasons and the activities that go along with that season.
Something else to keep in mind is that you’ll want to make sure your hive stays free of mites and bugs that could infest and harm your hive. Our bees are mite resistant, however, our area has a big problem with hive beetles so we put traps in our hive to prevent this type of infestation. Do the research on your area and what’s going to cause potential issues to your hive.
We check our bees every couple of weeks (not too often so we don’t continually disrupt them). Just enough to make sure they’re producing, the queen is laying, and there isn’t an issue with the colony. That’s all there is to it! They’re pretty low maintenance and I cannot wait to start reaping the benefits of our hive!
Spring & Summer Care
Going into and coming out of winter, bees need some extra nutritional value to feed the colony and promote breeding – you want that queen to lay eggs to grow the colony and they’ll need protein for that. Additionally, bees need to prepare for a winter much in the same way a bear might. Things will be largely dormant and bare for a few months so having a store of reserves is crucial. Similarly, coming out of winter, bees need that extra nutrition as well. Providing your colony with protein patties, vitamins, and minerals is going to be extremely helpful in keeping your hive healthy and growing.
With more plants in bloom, there are natural options available for bees to get the nectar and pollen (the carbs they need) to sustain honey producing.
There are a lot of great brands out there you can purchase. You can purchase supplements to mix into your water – you’d just need to ensure you follow the directions and ratios. This year, we just used protein patties and placed them on top of the hive. The bees were able to enjoys as they wanted.
Fall & Winter Care
The opposite of spring and summer care, we provide our bees with carbs so they can store up reserves for a rather dormant time of year.
Right now, we’re feeding our bees a pre-mixed mixture of liquid that has everything they need (Harvest Lane Feed for Bees to be exact). When true winter hits, we’ll provide them with a carb patty.
Then What?
We’re doing this until our bees are established enough to where we don’t need to intervene as much. Of course, if we have a rough season where conditions are just terrible (too hot and dry or too cold), we’ll supplement as needed. Additionally, bees need roughly 40 pounds of honey to get through winter. Because this is our first year, we’re letting them keep all their produce so they have ample honey to help get them through the the winter months.
Something else to keep in mind is that you’ll want to make sure your hive stays free of mites and bugs that could infest and harm your hive. Our bees are mite resistant, however, our area has a big problem with hive beetles so we put traps in our hive to prevent this type of infestation. Do the research on your area and what’s going to cause potential issues to your hive.
We check our bees every couple of weeks (not too often so we don’t continually disrupt them). Just enough to make sure they’re producing, the queen is laying, and there isn’t an issue with the colony. That’s all there is to it! They’re pretty low maintenance and I cannot wait to start reaping the benefits of our hive!
