subject: Beekeeping Information – 5 Frequently Asked Questions [print this page] Beekeeping Information 5 Frequently Asked Questions
Beekeeping has been done as a full-time career, a hobby, and even as a way to gain extra income. Over the years, beekeeping beginners have consulted with beekeeping experts and professionals, hundreds of books, and even the Internet to find the answers to their most pressing questions and to learn more beekeeping information. A few of the frequently asked questions and their respective answers are found in this article.
1.What equipment is essential in order to start beekeeping?
Every beekeeper starts off with bees, a beehive, and protective gear. One can make their own beehive at home or buy one from beekeeping stores. A beekeeper's protective gear consists of a bee suit, bee gloves, and a beekeeper's hat. They can add more tools over time, such as extractors and uncapping tools.
2. How many bees can one beehive accommodate?
One beehive can accommodate up to 60,000 bees. During winter, the number of bees in the hive will decrease significantly, since bees tend to die out during the cold winter months. It is important to cover the beehives with protective covering to shield the bees from the cold winds.
3.What food should a beekeeper give to his/her bees?
Beekeepers prepare a concoction of sugar to water with a 1:1 ratio during spring, and increase the ratio to 2:1 during autumn.
4.How much honey can you get from a hive?
It depends. During the first year it's possible to get up to 100 pounds of honey from a hive. However, if you live in an area where there are hardly any flowers, you can expect to get much less honey than a beekeeper that lives near a field of flowers.
5.When is the best time to buy bees?
The ideal time to buy bees is during the spring. If you buys bees in the winter, you are most likely going to lose more than half of the colony because many bees die during the winter. By buying bees in spring, the beekeeper has a higher chance of enjoying freshly made honey the next summer.
In case you want more beekeeping information, you shouldn't hesitate to ask a professional beekeeper or look at other books which provide information about beekeeping. There are many things that can happen while beekeeping and getting the right beekeeping information and a guide can help prevent most disasters.
