Crafts-Hobbies Vivian | 04 Jul 2011 11:13 pm

Beekeeping For Beginners

Whether you love the taste of honey or you just feel like trying something that is a little off the beaten path, you may find yourself considering beekeeping. Beekeeping is a hobby that can be engaging and interesting, but how do you know it is for you? When you are thinking about beekeeping for beginners, there is a lot that you need to know.

The first thing that you should consider is how you feel about pain. No matter how careful you are or how thorough your precautions are, remember that bees do sting and that at some point, you will get stung! Take a moment to consider how you feel about a little bit of pain and whether the fear of it might keep you from this hobby.

You should also be willing to make sure that you are willing to forgo the use of insecticides. If you have a garden, you will need to find other ways to make sure that your plants stay pest free. Using insecticides can hurt your bees and even kill off your hive. This is why bees typically do very poorly in the city, where all the plants have been doused in insecticide. Also remember that your plants should be as varied as you can; wild flowers and clover does very well.

Similarly, think about what kind of neighborhood you live in. The truth is that most people do not care to have bees in their immediate vicinity and if someone gets stung, you might have some real problems. While some people who live in crowded neighborhoods will keep their bees a secret, remember that ideally, bees are best kept peacefully away from people.

When you are thinking about beekeeping for beginners, do consider what you need in terms of space. Ideally, your bees should be at least one hundred feet away from any area that you routinely walk through; this means that it should be a fair distance from your doors, your driveway and your front walk. This ensures your guests from having problems as they try to visit you. For the most part, bees really don’t care what humans are near by and what they do, but better save than sorry.

When you are considering beekeeping for beginners, remember that this is not something that is going to make your rich. You may be able to sell a few jars of honey at your local garage sales or flea markets, but remember that if you want to produce honey for commercial ventures that you will need to go through fairly rigorous and demanding certifications and safety concerns

Also be willing to invest money and time in your bees. The average start up cost can range between 250 and 300 dollars. In addition to that, you will also need to think about how to take care of the hive if it gets sick. Also remember that you need to check on your bees about once a day and that you have to monitor their progress.

Beekeeping for beginners does require a lot of time and energy and resources. Remember to make sure that you have checked out a lot of information on how bees are kept and to make sure that you are a person who can keep bees well; the more thought you put into this, the better!

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