Beekeeping For Dummies - Howland Blackiston

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— sort of a homeopathic way of inoculating yourself. The key is to use pollen that is harvested from your general region.

      Of course you can harvest pollen from your own bees and sprinkle a small amount on your breakfast cereal or in yogurt (as you might do with wheat germ). But you don’t really need to harvest the pollen itself. That’s because raw, natural honey contains bits of pollen. Pollen’s benefits are realized every time you take a tablespoon of honey. Eating local honey every day can relieve the symptoms of pollen-related allergies if the honey is harvested from within a 50-mile radius of where you live or from an area where the vegetation is similar to what grows in your community. The best part if you have your own bees, allergy relief is only a sweet tablespoon away!

      How do you know whether you’d make a good beekeeper? Is beekeeping the right hobby for you? Here are a few things worth considering as you ponder these issues.

      Environmental considerations

      Unless you live on a glacier or on the frozen tundra of Siberia, you probably can keep bees. Bees are remarkable creatures that do just fine in a wide range of climates. Beekeepers can be found in areas with long, cold winters; in tropical rain forests; and in nearly every geographic region in between. If flowers bloom in your part of the world, you can keep bees.

      How about space requirements? You don’t need much. I know many beekeepers in the heart of Manhattan. They have a hive or two on their rooftops or terraces. Keep in mind that bees travel two to three miles from their hive to gather pollen and nectar. They’ll forage an area as large as 8,500 acres. So the only space that you need is enough to accommodate the hive itself.

      See Chapter 3 for more specific information on where to locate your bees, in either urban or suburban situations.

      Zoning and legal restrictions

      Most communities are quite tolerant of beekeepers, but some have local ordinances that prohibit beekeeping or restrict the number of hives you can have. Some communities let you keep bees but ask that you register your hives with local authorities. Check with local bee clubs, your town hall, your local zoning board, or your state’s Department of Agriculture (bee/pollinating insects division) to find out about what’s okay in your community.

      Costs and equipment

      What does it cost to become a beekeeper? All in all, beekeeping isn’t a very expensive hobby. You can figure on investing about $200 to $400 for a start-up hive kit, equipment, and tools — less if you build your own hive from scratch (find out how to do it in my book, Building Beehives For Dummies, published by Wiley). You’ll spend around $175 or more for a package of bees and queen. For the most part, these are one-time expenses. Keep in mind, however, the potential for a return on this investment. Each of your hives can give you 40 to 70 pounds of honey every year. At around $8 per pound (a fair going price for all-natural, raw honey), that should give you an income of $320 to $560 per hive! Not bad, huh?

      See Chapter 5 for a detailed listing of the equipment you’ll need.

      How many hives do you need?

      Most beekeepers start out with one hive. And that’s probably a good way to start your first season. But most beekeepers wind up getting a second hive in short order. Why? For one, it’s twice as much fun! Another more practical reason for having a second hive is that recognizing normal and abnormal situations is easier when you have two colonies to compare. In addition, a second hive enables you to borrow bees/honey from a stronger, larger colony to supplement one that needs a little help. My advice? Start with one hive during your first season until you get the hang of things and then by all means consider expanding in your second season.

      What kind of honey bees should you raise?

      The honey bee most frequently raised by beekeepers in the United States today is European in origin and has the scientific name Apis mellifera.

      Of this species, one of the most popular variety is the so-called Italian honey bee. These bees are docile, hearty, and good honey producers. They are a good choice for the new beekeeper. But there are notable others to consider. It can be great fun to to experiment with different varieties. See Chapter 6 for more information about different varieties of honey bees.

      KNOWING WHERE HONEY BEES COME FROM

      Honey bees are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, but they’re not native to other parts of the world (Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas). Colonies of German black honey bees were first brought to North America in the early 1600s by Virginia and Massachusetts colonists. The honey was used by the pioneers as their chief sweetener. These bees prospered and gradually colonized all of North America. But the black bee populations were seriously compromised by disease in the early 1800s and were ultimately replaced by Italian honey bees. Today, honey bees have become a vital part of our agricultural economy. Honey bees didn’t reach Australia and New Zealand until the early- to mid-1800s.

      Time and commitment

      Beekeeping isn’t labor intensive. Sure, you’ll spend part of a weekend putting together your new equipment. And I anticipate that you’ll spend some time reading up on your new hobby. (I sure hope you read my book from cover to cover!) But the actual time that you absolutely must spend with your bees is surprisingly modest. Other than your first year (when I urge you to inspect the hive frequently to find out more about your bees), you need to make only five to eight visits to your hives every year. Add to that the time you spend harvesting honey, repairing equipment, and putting things away for the season, and you’ll probably devote 35 to 40 hours a year to your hobby. Of course it will take more time if you make a business out of it.

      For a more detailed listing of seasonal activities, be sure to read Chapter 9.

      Beekeeper personality traits

      If you scream like a banshee every time you see an insect, I suspect that beekeeping will be an uphill challenge for you. But if you love animals, nature, and the outdoors, and if you’re curious about how creatures communicate and contribute to our environment, you’ll be captivated by honey bees. If you like the idea of “farming” on a small scale, or you’re intrigued by the prospect of harvesting your own all-natural honey, you’ll enjoy becoming a beekeeper. Sure, as far as hobbies go, it’s a little unusual, but all that’s part of its allure. Express your uniqueness and join the ranks of some of the most delightful and interesting people I’ve ever met: backyard beekeepers!

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