Ten Reasons to Begin Beekeeping!
Perhaps you are wondering about whether to start beekeeping. But you are not sure. All those hours in the office are wearing you down. You notice that when you go to the beach or to a farm you can really relax. So you have been thinking lately that you would like to spend more time in the outdoors; maybe even most of your weekends. You have been trying to think of a hobby and a little voice somewhere said beekeeping. You are not sure why. It might be that you saw a film like The Secret Life of Bees, and it left an impression on you.
Beekeeping beginners wanting reasons to start beekeeping should read this List of Ten:
1. Beekeeping beginners will satisfy their need to know more about beekeeping
If you are reading this you have an interest in beekeeping. If you try beekeeping you may become fascinated with bees, and this will lead to rewarding changes in your life.
2. Beekeeping beginners can sell their honey
As you progress beyond the beekeeping beginners’ level you will begin to make some money. As your understanding deepens you will begin to see opportunities. Your hobby may mean a good second income. It may become a full time occupation!
3. Beekeeping beginners can give presents of bee products to friends
If you are like me, you cannot think of anything to give friends for birthdays or at Christmas. Honey is something that most people use. It is a gift that represents your hard work. This gives your present of honey an added meaning for you and your friends.
4. Beekeeping beginners will re-connect with nature by doing something outdoors with their hands
You probably have experienced how nature can regenerate you. It slows your mind down. You become more aware of your surroundings. You can smell the trees, the flowers, and the grasses. You can feel the sea and the wind. Beekeeping brings you back to your self.
5. Beekeeping beginners will help pollinate flowers
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has made an enormous impact on bee numbers around the world. The human food supply has been affected. If you are community-minded you will get satisfaction knowing your bees are helping the food supply through pollination.
6. Beekeeping beginners will be responsible for living things
You may be aware of how caring for a pet; a dog or a cat, makes you happier. Bees, unlike cats and dogs, cannot be cuddled and are not cute, but they will require care!
7. Beekeeping beginners will meet other beekeepers
Beekeepers are a different breed who are fiercely independent. They are very focused production and they are usually very active. You will learn about them and they will hopefully tell you some beekeeping tricks and short cuts! You could also gain a new social network.
8. You will find out if beekeeping commercially is an option
As a beekeeping beginners you will know quickly if you are meant to be a beekeeper. You will know in a few months. If it is not for you, have no regrets. But if you love it, you will be able to follow your passion!
9. Beginning beekeepers can educate others. For instance, children
If you have children they will gain an appreciation for nature and a knowledge of at least one way of getting food from nature. They will know that honey is not grown on a supermarket shelf! The value of this to a child is immense.
10. You will be able to apply your beekeeping beginners knowledge in your life
Your understanding of bee organization my help you in your own life. You will see the ruthlessness of nature. You will see the beauty of nature’s design. There are always ways to take what you have learned from nature and use it in your work or daily life.
These Ten Reasons, hopefully, have convinced you or inspired you to start a brand new chapter in your life!
- Bill Rutherfurd
How Does the Bees Use Nectar
Plants have a glandular secretion, called nectar, which usually collects at the base of the flowers. Bees depend on this nectar for their source of energy. Honeybees dehydrate nectar to produce honey because it contains a low to moderate concentration of sugar. If a little pollen is incorporated into it, there can be barely measurable amounts of proteins, vitamins and other nutrients in the nectar.
There is two different ways bees use nectar. The nectar will work as a substitute for water, used to dilute brood food and air condition the hive. The bees can also ripen the nectar to become a stored resource for carbohydrate. The nectar substitute can also be used in either one of those ways, but the beekeeper use different sugar concentrations for different purposes.
Inspections of the colony should be conducted about every ten days during early and late spring. A beekeeper must stay aware of the conditions of the colony and the inspections will accomplish this. During the early spring the beekeeper must be aware of the food supply and if it is enough. During the late spring the beekeeper must be attentive to the possibility of swarming to keep it under control. Every inspection should inform the beekeeper if the bees have adequate food to get them through the times of bad weather. If they have enough to get them through until the next inspection, the beekeeper will again check their supply. If not, then the bees will have to be fed.
In the spring beekeepers will always feed the bees a pollen substitute and if the bees need to be fed sugar syrup. The sugar syrups fed early in the season are used for brood rearing. Feeding sugar usually stimulates egg laying and the syrup is usually a “light” syrup mixed with 1 part sugar and 1 par water. A heavy syrup, a mixture of 2 parts sugar and 1 part water, is fed late in the season to ensure adequate winter food supplies. They are stored as ripened syrup. If a medicated treatment is needed in the fall, feed for weight first, and then top off the colony with medicated syrup. There are beekeepers who use high fructose corn syrup to feed their bees, but they do not usually dilute the syrup regardless of the season. There are some levels of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) that will increase over time, especially with heat. HMG is toxic to honeybees at high enough concentrations.
It is best to feed the syrup to each colony individually. Every colony should receive its full share regardless of the size of the colony. It is best to feed in the evening, after the bees have settled down for the day. If there is a sudden abundance of syrup, bees will interpret this as an opportunity for robbing, by feeding after flying has ceased; the potential robbers find a source at home. Don’t spill any on the hive, this will attract ants and robbing bees.
- Jack Stanley
Beginning Beekeeping Harvesting Honey
How to harvest honey? Learn about Beekeeping and Honeybees in our continuing series of Beginning beekeeping Gardenfork shows. Beekeeping is a great hobby, watch as we work thru our first year of beekeeping Distributed by Tubemogul.
- erochow