The Beekeeping Starter Kit: All You Need to Know

People decide to venture into beekeeping for various reasons, and while some do it as a hobby others are commercial beekeepers who do it to make a dime. Bees make a very important contribution to the environment because they are the ones that help to pollinate plants. Beekeeping is not a complicated activity to get into and you surely don’t need any advanced education to start the activity. BeeKeepClub.com has all the information you need to get started.

You should take some time to familiarize yourself with all the information before diving in, it will be of great help to you in your beekeeping endeavors. Beginner beekeepers don’t need to have advanced equipment like those being used by commercial beekeepers. A beekeeping starter kit will set you off on the right path.

What’s in the Beekeeping Starter Kit?

The exact contents of a beekeeping starter kit will vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, here are the equipment that are usually included:

1. Hive kit – usually 8 to 10 frames
2. Telescoping cover with inner cover, a bottom board and an entrance reducer
3. Beekeeping veil
4. Beekeeper gloves
5. Bee smoker (some manufacturers also throw in bee smoker fuel)
6. Hive tool
7. Beekeeping starter book

Where can I get the beekeeping starter kit?

You can order a beekeeping order a beekeeping starter kit online over at Amazon.com, and have it shipped right to your front door.

Materials used for making a beekeeping starter kit

Beekeeping kits are usually made using wood but in recent times, synthetic materials like plastic and polystyrene have been used to make beehives. Wood however, still remains as the best material for making beekeeping kits.

What else will I need along with the beekeeping starter kit?

Once you have the bee hive up and running, you will have to take good care of your bees for them survive, and produce a surplus of honey which you will then harvest. Taking good care of the bees means inspecting the hive at least three times weekly to give them food, water and ensuring proper ventilation.

To avoid getting stung while inspecting your bees you will need to wear protective gear. You will need to purchase the beekeeper’s suit, hat and veil, gloves, and boots. These will make your bee inspection work safe for you and also much easier. Going out unprotected to inspect bees can be dangerous, especially if you are still just a novice beekeeper.

Additionally, you will of course need buy your bees, or find them in the wild. You can’t be a beekeeper without bees.

Factors to consider when putting up your bee hive

As a beginner beekeeper, you will have to consider the following factors when setting up your beehive:

Location of the hive

The location must be exposed to the sun – The best location that you should set up your beehive is one where sunlight can reach easily. Bees don’t do well in damp and moist places, and may in fact even relocate somewhere else. To avoid this possibility set your hive up at a place that receives enough sunlight.

Consider water – It is advisable to place the hive at a location close to a water source where the bees can easily access water and get back to the hive. Bees tend to prefer water that contains organic matter, so setting up the beehives near a creek, farm pond, stream, or stock tank would be good. The location should also be as near to pollen and nectar as possible, because the further bees travel to collect nectar and pollen the less honey they will make.

Consider predators – Additionally, placing your beehive where mites and other bee predators can easily access is also not a good idea. The less bee predators around, the better.

Consider winds – Also, placing the hive at a place that is exposed to heavy winds is also not good as this will disturb the bees. To address the wind problem, you can fence the area so that it does not get strong winds directly.

What to do next after purchasing and setting up the bee hive

You should buy at least two established colonies from a recognized bee farm in your area. It is better to have two colonies because one can be used as the control of the other. For instance, if one colony becomes weak, you can use the other one to help strengthen it.

Conclusion

Beekeeping is a truly rewarding activity that anyone can do as a hobby or even commercially. When choosing your beekeeping starter kits, always ensure to go for those that are made from wood as it is usually the best material. Bee hives must always be elevated above the ground to help keep the bees safe from surface runoff, ants or any other kinds of bee predators.

Recommended Beekeeping Starter Kits

Different manufacturers will add their own special touch to a beekeeping starter kit. However, some of the best ones in our opinion are those offered by Mann Lake and BuildaBeehive.

• View our rankings of the best beekeeping starter kits.

Next topic: The Beekeeper Suit >