Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: A List of Honey Bee Supplies That You Need

For those who enjoy nature and activities in the
outdoors, beekeeping is proving to be a regular
pastime. Aside from the physical activity
involved in taking care of bees and the mental
stimulation of learning all there is to know,
good beekeepers are rewarded with products such
as beeswax and honey. Get comfortable, and let us
share with you some additional information
regarding the supplies you would need to get
started in this great hobby.

While some humans may be fearful of buzzing
sounds in their garden or by the pool, honey bees
actually play a very important role for a healthy
environment. Known best for making honey, their
daily activities involve the spread of pollen
through out the fields amongst thousands to
millions of flowers. Imagine we humans trying to
do all of that by hand! Our ecosystem relies
heavily on their ability to help. As a beekeeping
hobbyist, you will be not only be involved in a
rewarding activity, but you will be ultimately
contributing a positive role to ecology in
general.

In order to get started, it is necessary to have
some standard honey bee supplies. Don't worry too
much about where you will find them. In fact,
there is a good chance there have been some in
your local community all along that you were just
unaware of. Many can be found at beekeeping
supply stores, but if not there are plenty of
online retailers just for this market.

1 - A Beehive

Before bringing home your new little living
creatures, you need to set up an appropriate
place for them to stay. This is where a hive
comes into play. There are lots of variants, but
basically 2 behive types - the Langstroth and the
top bar hive.

The Langstroth type is the most common and the
one used by commercial beekeepers. For maximum
honey production, this is the best type of
beehive. But propionents of natural beekeeping
often prefer the top bar hive. This is a simpler
option, and arguably more akin to natural bee
behaviour in the wild, but the bees will have top
produce more wax, so will produce less honey.
Every pound of beeswax produced by bees 'costs' 8
pounds of lost honey production.

Whichever type of beehive you go for, make your
choice and stick with it.

2 - Protective clothing for the beekeeper

While your bees health and happiness is the most
important to getting the best honey results,
don't forget about protecting yourself! Wearing
the right clothing when approaching your hive is
going to make the job a whole lot easier. An
entire beekeeping suit is in order. This is
specially made to protect the body against stings
and cover as much of you as possible. Try not to
skimp as the cheaper suits may very well be less
protective. Be sure to accessorize properly with
the hat, veil, and gloves.

3 - A Smoker

This may be the only time someone agrees that
smoking is a good thing. Beekeepers use a smoker
to calm the bees and make the hive more
approachable. On regular occasions you will need
to go in and open your hive as part of the
management of your bees, so a smoker is essential
- especially for beginner beekeepers.

Beyond these physical supplies, you will want to
stock up on your knowledge. Grab a complete guide
on bee colony care. It will help you answer
questions as they come up as well as giving you
some more detailed step by step help. Finding the
right guide can really help you turn this hobby
into a big success.

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Val Wilson is passionate about all things
beekeeping! It is an incredibly rewarding hobby
in so many ways, so if you would like more
information about how to start beekeeping, and
produce your own honey, go to
http://www.bestbeekeeping.com and sign up for the
FREE 7 day beekeeping ecourse.

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