If you are interested in starting beekeeping you’ve come to the right place.  My Name is Sam Summers and I am a beekeeper.  I put together this site to help people who were interested in starting beekeeping have a resource of information.  Now, this article will discuss the basic facts about beekeeping. 

Did you know there are over 20,000 different species of bees?  The most common bee that is used in starting beekeeping is the western honey bee.

A reason why many people are interested in starting beekeeping is because the wild honey that is produced is a very fun hobby and very tasty for a lot of people.  I also find it, yes believe it or not, relaxing to be working with the bees.  And of course I LOVE the taste of honey.

If you are interested in starting beekeeping you will want to know that beekeeping has made many modern improvements.  The first is a movable frame hive.  The Langstroth hive is the most common movable frame used in beekeeping.  Also, some beekeepers are using top-bar hives in their beekeeping, but if you are looking into starting beekeeping you should probably focus only on the basics.

Starting a beekeeping hobby will also require you to get protective clothing, since getting stung by a bee is painful, and it kills the bee.  Of course serious injury or death can occur if you get stung by a bee or if you are attacked by a large swarm of bees.  Some beekeepers prefer not to use gloves, since wearing gloves can make it tricky to handle the bee delicately.  I have gotten good at using gloves myself, however.  You can use gloves that are not super thick and they will protect you from a sting.

The most important area to protect is the face and the neck.  No matter what type of protective clothing you have on, getting attacked by a swarm of bees can still be dangerous.  If you are stung by a bee an alarm pheromone is actually produced that will attract more bees, so it can be a viscous cycle.  These are important things to know if you are looking at starting beekeeping as a hobby, or as a way to earn some income on the side.

Another defensive tactic used by beekeepers involves the use of a smoker.  If you are considering starting beekeeping as a hobby you need to learn get a smoker and learn how to use it.  Why is a smoker used in beekeeping?  A smoker makes a bee feel more calm, and it actually initiates a feeding response because the bee “thinks” it is going to be have to eat because the hive is going to be destroyed due to a fire.  I know I could not live without the use of my smoker, because the smoker has made me really know how to work around my bees.

If you are considering starting beekeeping as a hobby you may have heard of natural beekeeping or “urban beekeeping”  What is natural beekeeping or urban beekeeping?  It is the process of getting honey from bees that normally reside in urban gardens.  Some places urban beekeeping has been illegal, but recently that has subsided.  Urban beekeeping is common in places that ban pesticides and other unique chemicals.  Urban or natural beekeeping has its risks, too, but may be a great way to start beekeeping if you are looking into starting beekeeping as a hobby.

Bee keeping can be a great and enjoyable hobby.  If you are considering starting beekeeping these are just a few things to know and understand.  Please, spend some time looking around and learning more about beekeeping here.  I have written a lot of articles, and provide a lot of resources for you.  I also recommend a resource that you can learn more about by  clicking here.  It is how I learned about beekeeping and it saved me a ton of money in getting started, and also helped me avoid getting stung!

Good luck in becoming a beekeeper!

Your friend,