Want to Raise Your Own Bees?
Becoming a beekeeper is fun, but it requires patience and hard work. “It’s not a hands-off hobby,” says South Carolina master beekeeper Charlotte Anderson. But once you have the hive and bees set up, Anderson says, beekeeping takes only about two hours a month. Here are her tips for getting started.
Know the local laws. “There are a good many places, mostly in cities, that don’t allow beekeeping, so check your local regulations or homeowners association rules,” Anderson says.
Buy your hive. You can order a hive online or from a local bee supplier. The most popular, according to Anderson, is called a Langstroth hive, designed in 1851 by Methodist minister and renowned beekeeper Lorenzo Langstroth. About 16 inches wide and 20 inches long, it consists of a bottom base and a deep box that usually holds 10 movable, vertically hung frames.
Place your hive in the right spot. You want the hive to be a good distance away from places with human activity, like a child’s play area or garage. Ideally, the hive should face east or south to warm up your brood. “Honeybees cannot fly until they reach a certain body temperature,” Anderson says, “and you want them to be foraging all day.”
Buy a bee suit and a smoker. You need at least a beekeeper’s hat, veil and gloves, but many people, Anderson included, opt for a full beekeeper’s suit. You also need to buy a smoker, which is used when you need to calm down the bees without hurting them.
Buy your bees. You can either order bees through the mail or go to a local bee supplier. Either way, Anderson says, the critters will probably come from a warm state (like Georgia or Texas or Florida) and be available in the spring (she advises ordering ahead). They usually arrive in a 3-pound package about the size of a large shoebox that holds about 10,000 bees. Place the bees in the hive you’ve set up.
Educate yourself. Join a local beekeeping association, take beekeeping classes or read up on the subject. (Anderson’s book, Buzz Into Beekeeping, is a great place to start.)
Enjoy your honey! You should be able to reap what the bees have created in year two. And harvesting the honey, Anderson says, “is a breeze.”
Find out more in 10 Tips for First-Time Beekeepers.
