Beekeeping For Beginners - Bee Hive Tips Posted By : Rumpleteazer at Hobby Ideas

Nov

6

Beekeeping For Beginners - Bee Hive Tips Posted By : Rumpleteazer

≡ Category: Hobby Ideas | ⇒

When first thinking about beginning beekeeping, a good place to start is the bee hive. It is, after all, to be home for your honeybees and your main item of beekeeping equipment.

Your first decision is which way your bee hive should face. It is better if your hive faces south, south east or south west; this way the entrance receives the full benefit of the sun’s rays during the winter months. You should try and avoid facing your hive to the north if you can.

It is better to start with two hives, three at most. Having more than one hive gives you more flexibility, particularly in the event of the death of your queen bee. You should purchase strong colonies of bees from a reliable breeder or dealer.

Spring is the best time to move your bees from one place to another. They can actually be moved at any time, even in hot weather, but you do risk smothering your bees of having the combs break down. In early Spring, the combs contain the least of amount of honey and therefore you are likely to have fewer bees.

On very hot summer days, or in southern latitudes, very strong colonies must be made still safer in transportation by using the wire-cloth at both bottom and top, so the bees may have a current of air. They should be kept carefully out of the sun while being transported.

When bees are transported a distance of less than two miles, there is the possibility of them returning to their previous location. The placing of a shade-board or some other obstruction in front of the entrance forces the bees to pay attention to their change of location and therefore reduces the chances of them returning to their old location.