How easy or hard is bee keeping?

Answer 1

Bee keeping is a full time job. There is much knowledge that goes into raising them properly. The difficulty level goes hand in hand with how many bee colonies you have.

Answer 2

If you are interested in bee keeping you should read this incredible novel:

http://www.suemonkkidd.com/SecretLifeOfBees/

I certainly know a lot more about bees than I did!

Answer 3

Contrary to popular belief, a honeybee colony is amazingly tolerant of disruption. However, depending on many variables, sometimes it can be quite defensive. Some things that tend to make a colony more sensitive, other than genetics, include a lack of: nectar, pollen, or nice weather to forage. The best time to work your bees is during greatest flight activity toward midday during a good honey flow. Three apiary tools are essential: smoker, veil, & hive tool. The choice of a veil is a matter of personal preference. I use a $12 folding veil over a $9 ventilated mesh helmet. The best smoker is a $29 Stainless Steel 4X10" with guard & hook. You want a smoker fuel that produces lots of nice cool white smoke (any number of things like pine needles, dry grass, eucalyptus bark, etc. may be used). As for a hive working tool, the $9 Maxant Frame lifter gets my nod. But for most scraping jobs I like to employ the bent end of a regular hive tool using a pulling action as this is far less likely to split wood. Optional equipment might include suit, gloves, duct tape, a queen marking kit, a bee brush, extra hive bodies, frames, drip pans and covers if you're robbing. Never use a dark bristled, or horsehair brush on bees. Only use the ones with yellow nylon bristles. Before we light the smoker we need to think fire safety. Check the bellows hole in the bottom of your smoker to be sure that hot embers can't fall out. Also, a means to immediately extinguish a small fire (perhaps burlap soaking in water) might be wise to consider. Now we're ready to fire up the smoker. I like to use a self igniting propane torch to light some material in the bottom, then pump the bellows. Once started, pack the smoker with fuel while still pumping to get a cool billowy smoke. Put on the veil, choose the hive on the down wind end to start with. Try to do your work from the down wind side so the bees don't smell you, and make certain not to breathe on them. Smoke into the hive entrance thoroughly, noting which side of the entrance draws the smoke in , and which exhausts. Take your time, give them about 30 seconds or so to respond to the smoke. Then pry up the top cover just far enough to smoke under it. Put the top cover back down for 15 seconds more. Now open the hive. Give it a bit more smoke down between the frames. From this point let the bees indicate the need for more smoke. When you see rows of bees peering at you from between the top bars it’s time to turn them around with some more smoke. While working the bees try not to wave your hands over the top bars or cast your shadow over the hive (Note: if you can't be both, down or cross wind, and not overshadowing them, I would be more concerned with the shadow) . Prying frames apart should be done with your hands out past ends of the hive so the bees don't see the motion (another use where the Maxant hive tool shines). When lifting frames your hands come up the outside of hive to grasp ends of top bar (Note: I consider frame grips useless get used to holding the hive tool between the palm and last three fingers while examining frames). Be careful not to squeeze bees or roll them between the frames. When examining frames remove an outside frame to get enough room to remove others one at a time without rolling or injuring bees. Because of the usual irregularities of the frames you should always try to reassemble brood supers back the way they came out. Also when brushing bees off the comb for extracting, use short flicking strokes to dislodge, rather than rolling the bees. To recap, avoid the following: jarring or vibrating, casting a shadow on an open hive, keeping hive open for long periods, pinching or rolling bees, breathing on them, and not explaining to the bees what you’re doing and why your doing it. I always enjoyed talking to those sweet little girls. By just following these few simple rules, you can significantly reduce the number of stings you get. Thus beekeeping is much more fun, because regardless how well protected you are, it is no fun working angry bees.

by

http://www.dhaarvi.blogspot.com

Answer 4

The hardest part is counting all the bees so you can tuck them in at night. You can't lock the door until they are all home and safe.......
And finding names for them all, that takes time.

Answer 5

Don't keep Bees as they only make Honey
Keep wasps as they make Jam, and if you feed them oranges they will make marmalade.

Answer 6

www.bbka.org.uk/

This is the British beekeepers association it will tell you all you need to know.