Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Beekeeping Information Overview

Are you interested in beekeeping, but your fears
of the unknown are holding you back from taking
that first step? Once you understand the basics
of beekeeping, you will find that keeping bees
may not be as difficult as you thought.
Beekeeping can be a rewarding hobby, as well as a
lucrative business.

Beekeeping requires Human Interaction

Before you venture down the path to beekeeping,
whether it is as a hobby or as a business, you
must understand that you will have to interact in
the lives of these bees. Why? You are taking a
bee from its natural environment and bringing it
into a controlled environment where you are in
control. Therefore, you must be willing to
become a part of their lives.

It is also important to understand that during
interaction there is always the possibility of
being stung. This is their way of protecting
themselves. However, bees do not sting for fun,
as a hornet or wasp may do. They generally only
sting when they feel threatened.

It is very important to have an anaphylactic
injection nearby in case someone is stung that is
allergic to bees. A person allergic to bees can
have serious reactions, including death. This is
not to scare you away from beekeeping; however,
it is meant to help you be prepared. Beekeeping
requires you to be responsible and prepared at
all times.

Beekeeping as a Hobby

beekeeping is a very educational hobby where you
can learn all kinds of information about the
bee's role in nature. You can learn about the
hierarchy of the hive and how the different kinds
of these function. You can also learn about how
these contribute to the natural balance through
pollination of plants and flowers. In fact,
there's all kinds of information you'll learn
when you start beekeeping.

Beekeeping as a hobby is not very expensive,
doesn't take much time, and doesn't require much
space. But if you want a lot of honey, you'll
need a larger area and a plentiful supply of
flowers within 2 miles of the hive.

Beekeeping truly is a fascinating hobby. Not
only can you learn something new each day, but
you get to enjoy some tasty honey.

Beekeeping for Business

Beekeeping is a common business for those who
intend on selling honey. While this is the
common reason people start a beekeeping business,
there are many other options available to you for
making an income as a beekeeper. Bees have a
variety of qualities.

Bees will collect nectar from flowers. This
nectar will turn into beeswax or honey. The
conversion of beeswax is important to a bee
colony because it is used to make the combs,
where the bees are raised, and where they store
pollen and the surplus for the winter. Beeswax
can be used to make candles and cosmetics.

Worker bees also produce a substance called Royal
Jelly which they eat to produce extra energy.
Bees also collect propolis, a resinous mixture
that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap
flows, or other botanical sources, that they use
as as a sealant in their hive. Propolis is sold
by health food storesas a traditional medicine.

Beekeeping Process

inside the hive we find three kinds of bees: the
queen bee, the drone, and the worker bee. Drones
die shortly after meeting with the queen.
Workers pretty much do everything else including
gathering nectar, building honeycomb and
producing honey, and protecting the hive.

Honey bees also aid in plant pollination, which
benefits them as pollination allows plants to
reproduce which supplies the bees with nectar.
As the beekeeper you need to:

- Make or purchase a hive

- Make your first colony

- Inspect your hives

- Keeping the hives healthy

- Maintain hives

- Handle pests

- Harvest the honey

Also, if you are doing beekeeping is business
you'll need to package, market, and sell the
honey.

Tips for Beginner Beekeepers

- Set your hives facing to the East, as bees will
use the sun as an alarm clock. Bees work early,
and this is the best time to get the pollen and
nectar they need.

- Educate your neighbors and family. This is
important because people tend to be afraid of
bees. Explain how they can improve a neighbor's
flower garden and how they are different from
wasps or hornets.

- Use new equipment rather than a used. Used
equipment can pose a risk for pathogen
contamination or spreading of disease. This
includes the hives, smokers, secateurs, sack,
gloves, and veil.

- When purchasing a bee source, make sure the
bees are mite and disease free. It is not
recommended that beginners collect and transfer
bees from a bee swarm.

- Start in late spring or early summer when
plants are just blooming (of course you'll want
to do all your prep work much earlier than that)

- Wear bee veils at all times to protect your
face and neck. Use leather gloves or thick
gloves to protect from bee stings.

- Provide water in a dish near the apiary.

- If there is a scarcity in nectar, you can give
them sugar syrup.

- Divide the colony if necessary to prevent
overcrowding.

beekeeping can be a rewarding experience if
you're responsible and take the necessary
precautions. It can be an enjoyable hobby or even
a profitable business for a very long time.

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Get a free beekeeping e-course and more
beekeeping information at
http://www.beekeepingstarterguide.com

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