Bees are a crucial part of the ecosystem and great contributors to food security. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, one-third of global food production depends on them.
Besides providing natural honey, beeswax, and propolis, bees are the number one pollinators of food and non-food crops.
Unfortunately, bees and other pollinators, such as birds and insects, are at risk from human activities. For example, in the recent past, the population of bees has decreased drastically due to the intensive use of farm chemicals such as pesticides, air pollution, and encroached farming leading to habitat loss.
This has, in turn, affected farmers and their plants, posing a threat to the population regarding food security and source of livelihood. To counter this loss, farmers can resort to bee farming. Bee farming is not limited to farmers with vast pieces of land. Virtually anyone can resort to this satisfying yet so rewarding activity.
What you need to know about beekeeping
There are about 20,000 species, but only one, the honey bee, makes large amounts of honey. Honey bees can be found anywhere in the world, and they live in colonies.
Each colony has one queen bee and many female worker bees. Males comprise about 10 percent of the colony population and don’t work, sting, or produce honey. Instead, their primary purpose is to mate and feed on honey.
6 easy steps to help you start your beekeeping journey
1. Gather some knowledge about apiculture
There are plenty of books and online resources about beekeeping. Make it a point to gather as much information as possible about beekeeping. You can also join local bee farmers’ groups to learn from them before you begin your journey.
2. Choose your preferred hive system
There are two central hive systems that most beekeepers use. The Langstroth and the top-bar hive. The Langstroth hive contains drawer-like boxes that are stacked on top of each other. The drawers have frames where bees can build their combs, and you can pull them out during harvesting.
The top-bar hive has horizontal frames, and bees build combs without foundations. During harvesting, the bars containing combs are pulled out from the top.
Most farmers prefer the Langstroth hive for the ease of harvesting and maintenance.
3. Build or purchase your hives
After getting your hives, install them in a shade you already built or in the designated place you already decided. It can be in your backyard, along a fence, or among trees. Remember that your bees need food (nectar or pollen), water, and sunlight. So it’s essential to position your hives where all that can be easily accessed.
4. Bring in your bees
You can purchase your first batch of bees from a local bee shop or order from online sellers. Buying them as a nuclear colony with a queen or just a package of bees with a separate queen is essential.
The advantage of purchasing a nuclear colony is that the colony is already established and has accepted the queen bee.
You can also purchase your bees from local farmers if there are any. Then, introduce your colony into your hive, ensuring the queen is alive and healthy.
5. Feed your bees
Yes! Just like any other pet or tamed animal, your bees need food. So you can put a mixture of sugar and water near their hive during the first few days of their arrival until they get used to their surroundings.
Once you notice that they are not feeding on the sugar solution, you can discontinue feeding because they are looking for food.
6. Take care of your bees
Bees do not need a lot of time investment. Once in a while, check on them to ensure that the queen is alive and laying eggs. Check on the general progress of each colony, then allow them to do their thing — making honey.
Beekeeping equipment you might need
As a beekeeper, you need to be protected, especially during harvesting. Bees can be aggressive and angry when you “take away” the honey. In addition, they can sting to defend themselves and their honey.
You may need protective clothing such as a jacket, leather gloves, and a veil to avoid bee stings. Additionally, it would be best to have a beekeeping smoker, a hive tool, a bee brush, and an entrance feeder for winter.
Caution: A few people are allergic to bee stings and pollen. As a beekeeper, ensure you and the people around you are not allergic to bees and pollen. If you or people around you are allergic, keep your distance or avoid keeping them because anaphylaxis reactions from bee stings are life-threatening.
