Congratulation on Entering the World of Beekeeping!
Becoming a Beekeeper is a wonderful way to help improve the bee population as well as promote a healthy environment. When starting out with Beekeeping, the internet can be overwhelming with information. We have created this Basic Guide to provide you with the importance of what you need to do to prepare and care for your honeybees.
Preparing for the Bees:
When purchasing either Packages or Nucs, it will be important to have the following ready:
- A Completely Assembled Hive in its permanent location
- Bee Feeder and Water Dishes in Place
- Beekeeping Suit, Gloves, and Veil.
- Hive Tools
Welcome Your Bees Home:
Once your honeybees arrive, you are officially a Beekeeper! Its time to place your Bees in their forever home. Remember that Honeybees are most active during the day so its best to transfer them at dusk or dawn—that way the bees have time to learn where their home is.
Before placing your package in your completed Langstroth hive—make sure to remove two frames and evenly space the rest to ensure you have plenty of room for Bees—if you purchased a Nuc you will add the Frames from the Nuc to the Completed hive—this is typically 2 to 5 completed frames.
Suit up entirely—cover all exposed skin to prevent any stings. Remember, Safety First!
Unpacking Your Bees:
Once you are prepared (Suited up and tools ready) then its time to release the bees!
- Lightly smoke your bees to help calm them
- Use your hive tool and remove the covering and any food to access the bees
- Carefully tip the Bee Box upside down and shake the bees out into the hive
- Place the box with any leftover bees near the hive
Feeding Your Bees – A Simple Recipe:
Whether your bees have arrived in the beginning of spring or in the fall—there are different times you will be required to feed your bees: this will be covered in a later newsletter. This is a very simplistic recipe, remember recipe you decide to use, make sure you use only natural ingredients to ensure they produce healthy raw honey. The easiest recipe is written in parts, that way you are able to make as much or as little as possible. Think of parts in terms of a ratio—IE 2 cups of sugar (two parts) and 1 cup of water (one part)
Two Parts Organic Cane Sugar + One Part Purified/ Filtered Water
- 1. Combine both parts together in a saucepan set on low heat.
- 2. Stir until the sugar is dissolved entirely
- 3. Let the mixture cool
- 4. Pour mixture into Bee Feeder
Remember to Water Your Bees:
Like most living things, bees are mostly water so it is imperative you ensure they have plenty of it. To provide your bees with plenty of water, place a shallow water dish within a few feet of the hive. Place larger stones or rocks in the dish so the bees have somewhere safe to land—if the water is too deep, the bees could drown. Make sure to check their dish daily and refill as needed.
