How to Start Raising Bees for Business
View PDF | Print View
by: CalvinWapasa
Total views: 43
Word Count: 501
If you are considering raising bees as a hobby or as a part time business, here's a quick beginners guide to keeping bees because there are things you should know before you start.
You will have to spend some money in the start-up of beekeeping, but before you start investing money, you might want contact beekeepers in your area, who will be happy in helping you out and in most cases point you in the right direction for local beekeeping equipment.
Clothing and Equipment Needed For Beekeeping
The veil is the most important clothing for beekeeping. It is very painful to be stung on the face and can damage the eyes and ears.
Wear white or light colored coveralls. If you are not using boots, do not wear dark socks. Boots that fasten over the coveralls or in the coveralls should be worn, A wind breaker jacket will help you to avoid being stung. Pants, veil, sleeves should be fasten securely so that the bees don't get in the clothes.
You will need at least one hive, again a great place to start looking for equipment will be with local beekeepers or beekeeping societies from your area.
You can buy this equipment new or used. If it is used you will want to make sure it is in good condition, also have it examined by the Apiary Inspection Service for any possibility of disease. The normal price for beekeeping equipment is $250-$450.
You can also build you very own bee hives, which is not difficult at all, if you have the time, but make sure your dimensions are correct because bees will build combs in places you don't want them to.
Getting the Bees
There are quiet a number of ways to get bees, no matter which method you choose the right time to buy bees is spring, established colonies will cost you more, but they can be worth the extra money.
Package bees
The package of bees consists of 2 or 3 pounds of bees, and a queen in a separate cage (Beginners should be able to handle them easily)
The Queen Bee
The most common practice of introducing a new queen requires an introductory period of about three days the queen is placed in a cage and is fed by the colony bees though the wire gauze which covers the cage. The only way she is let go is when workers bees eat the candy entrance, or the beekeeper can decide to let go the queen into the colony self willingly.
The success of the colony depends largely on the quality of the queen. As a beekeeper you may notice a difference in the production of honey from one colony to the next. The difference in production can depend on several factors, one of which is the queen.
It is obvious that guide is just a quick look at what's required, my advice is to do your homework before you start purchasing equipment, get all the information so you can make an informed decision as to whether raising bees is right for you.
About the Author
You welcome to check out: How to Start Bee Keeping plus learn how to beekeeping for more information.
Rating: Not yet rated
