Keeping bees is a wonderful activity whether you have just one hive in the garden to help with the pollination of your flowers, fruits and vegetables, or have hundreds of hives and  make a living as a commercial beekeeper.

There are roughly 20,000 species of bees in the world and approximately 4,000 species in North America, with 96% being classified as “solitary bees”. The remaining 4%, (around 800 species) have large enough colonies (eusocial insects) to produce a honey surplus. However, only a handful of those 800 species are manageable by man; the rest are too aggressive. Of the manageable species, none are native to North America.

The first “workable” bees were brought in from Europe by the early settlers (the dark bee of Northern Europe). Over time other species were introduced with the “Italian” (Apis Millifera Ligustica) gaining favor among the majority of bee keepers. The “Italians” seem to out-breed the other sub-species. Most bees today are a mix (hybrid) with prevalent Italian traits.

But back to the joy of beekeeping. For many people working with bees is a form of deep therapy where your focus and attention are taken away from everyday problems and diverted to those wonderful insects and the workings of the hive. There is never enough time it seems. Beekeeping is calming and relaxing and with so much to learn it is a process of a lifetime. Still, it is all up to you; you can keep it simple or you can delve into it and discover that there is no end to what can be learned. It is fun and challenging…It’s a science and also an art.

You will quickly discover though that it is difficult to get a straight answer to a straight question. It seems every beekeeper has their own way of doing things. It is true that there are several ways of achieving the same goal. Your objective will be to determine what style of beekeeping you want to follow, and that alone can take a few years. It is always a good idea to find a mentor if possible, which could save you a lot of time and grief. It is also good to keep an open mind and be prepared to try new ideas, techniques and systems. Don’t limit yourself to what one beekeeper (even if it’s a mentor) has taught you.

TIPS FOR BUYING BEES

When looking to buy bees there are only three practical ways of doing so:

BUY AN ESTABLISHED FULL-SIZE HIVE

This means that you receive all the equipment and the bees inside. This would probably be very expensive and you would also take a gamble on the quality of the equipment and the bees (before buying, the hive should be checked by the bee inspector). This will give you a quick start, however the educational value of the experience is diminished as there is less for you to do yourself.

BUY A PACKAGE OF BEES

The bees usually come in a big tube with a caged Queen. Unfortunately, most suppliers are overseas with New Zealand being the biggest of them. This entails long distance travelling which puts additional stress on the bees. Bees often develop chalk-brood disease which slows down the new colony. Ordering and picking up the packages could be a challenge as the drop-off points are not always local. Pricing used to be an advantage but not anymore. These days a “package” costs the same if not more than a nuc.

BUY A NUC

A nuc is made up of drawn-out frames (usually four) with all the bees attached to them, plus, and this is a big plus, the brood that the Queen has already laid in those frames. It should have some eggs, open larvae and capped brood. This capped brood will soon emerge adding new bees to your hive very quickly. With a “package” you have to wait for the Queen to start laying and then another three weeks for you to start getting new bees.  A nuc, especially in the Spring, develops very rapidly. A good nuc is a “Balanced Unit”, it has a good Queen, brood in all stages, honey and pollen. It is a miniature hive. Your job is to help it expand. Most suppliers of nucs do not supply the equipment (the box).

Again, find your style, attend “Bee Meetings”, read books, search the Internet… it is all fascinating! The words of Keith DeLaPlane, author of “First Lessons in Beekeeping” resonate with us:

” It is this contingent (The Hobbyist Beekeepers) that finds beekeeping an enriching divergence from their normal work week – a chance to dabble in wood-working, biology, agriculture, animal husbandry, food production, botany, marketing and business. The fact that many pass from backyard hobbyist to sideline or commercial levels is simply testimony to the economic legitimacy of beekeeping”

Welcome to the wonderful world of beekeeping!