I have kept bees since 1963 and have taught beekeeping since the early 1970s. I have seen many different kinds of people with different backgrounds and circumstances enquire about the craft, consequently, I think I understand their needs. Although many people who think about taking up beekeeping are serious, do some research and find out what is needed, a significant number don't and seem to have a "wouldn't it be jolly to so and so......." type attitude to something they have taken a fancy to. That could be climbing a mountain, hang gliding or beekeeping - "box tickers" I call them. Beekeeping is not just about having a box of bees at the bottom of the garden, doing nothing to them and expecting some jars filled with honey at the end of the season. Beekeeping should not be treated as a throwaway item that you try, then abandon and go on to something else. Legally, bees are food producing animals that need care, understanding and committment. I know there is a well publicised product that gives the impression that all you have to do is open a tap and out runs the honey, but it isn't quite as simple as that.

My advice is always to learn a little, handle a full colony on several occasions and get stung a few times before you make your decision. Then you will have an idea of the committment needed, that you are comfortable with a box of insects in front of you and that you can stand being stung. If all of these are done under the supervision of another beekeeper and on someone else's bees, such as at a beekeeping association (BKA) meeting, you will find out if beekeeping is for you, or not. If you have a reaction to being stung, you will have others to help you, where you could be on your own at home.

Seeing inside a beehive for the first time is very exciting for many and it is so easy to let initial enthusiasm guide you, but I suggest attending several apiary meetings at your BKA. This gives the potential beekeeper a chance to see what is involved in beekeeping, without making the investment.

I see a considerable number of potential beekeepers and the following FAQs are amongst the more common questions I am asked. Please bear in mind that help and advice, whatever the source, varies considerably. There are a lot of different opinions in beekeeping, but I have tried to give sound advice that should be suitable, wherever you live. There is a more advanced FAQ for those who wish to take the next step.

Before Starting Beekeeping.

Q: I am not a beekeeper. Where can I find initial guidance?

A: Try here on this website. This is for non - beekeepers, but gives you a little bit of information. The button top left links to a free video that gives quite a lot of information.

Q: What book shall I buy?

A: Bee books vary a great deal and something I have strong views on. There are some that have been written by people who are beginners themselves. I think it's important you get one written by an experienced beekeeper who gives sound information. Try here. There are only three books suggested, but they are all suitable for the U.K. and Ireland. You would be well advised to read books that are relevant to your location, not other countries such as America or Australia, as many things are different.

Q: What organisations exist that can help me?

A: I always recommend joining a Beekeeping Association (BKA). For the British Isles and Ireland, you will find details of some here, the national BKAs list their local BKAs, or simply search online. In other parts of the world there will be similar organisions providing a similar service, though they vary tremendously.

Q: How are BKAs organised?

A: They vary somewhat, but further information can be found here.

Q: How do I find out what's involved?

A: There is a considerable amount of information on this website. All the 3 books recommended will give you a good idea. The above mentioned video gives you the absolute basics. For those who wish to investigate further, it leads to a reasonably priced online course "Introduction to Beekeeping", that will give you enough information for the next stage. I present both of these videos. A well organised BKA will be able to help you. Attend meetings and "taster" events if you can. Make sure you know what you have to do to bees and when. There is a lot of work needed in the summer, so if you are unavailable for lengthy periods, e.g. work or holidays, you will need to take this into account.

Q: My husband/wife/partner/etc is allergic to bees. Will they be O.K?

A: I have no medical knowledge, so I am not qualified to answer. You need to make sure they are actually allergic first. In my experience, it's often a different way of saying they, or you, are frightened of bees. Just because someone swells up when they are stung doesn't mean they are allergic - we all do that. If they are genuinely allergic, then discuss it with them. Even if you keep bees away from your house there will be the occasion when you will bring a bee home, causing accidental stinging. If someone has a genuine problem, then it would probably be foolish to keep bees, but the decision must be yours.

Q: How much do I need to know before starting beekeeping?

A: This is a difficult question, because everyone learns at a different rate and has different help and guidance. I have seen some people who have handled bees for the first time and I can tell straight away they will be good, yet others who I think will constantly struggle. The former usually picks things up as they go and needs minimal help, the latter often needs continuous help, some to the point where they still have mentors for several years. If you are practical and a quick learner, especially of the "basics", you will need very little initial knowledge.

Bees are insects, so it would be useful to do a little reading about the different kinds of bees and insects that are often mistaken for bees, such as wasps, hover flies, bee flies, etc. Try to understand the development of the insect and life cycle. Learning a little about the cycle of the colony throughout the year, pollen, nectar, honey, beeswax and propolis would be useful.

What a lot of people don't understand is that much of beekeeping isn't actually beekeeping, such as assembling and repairing hives and equipment, lighting a smoker and keeping it alight, making syrup, extracting and processing the crop, etc. It's helpful to be practical with common sense and the ability to think laterally.

Q: How much time does beekeeping take up?

A: This varies through the year. From April-August allow about an hour a week for the first colony and half an hour for each subsequent one. Some weeks will be more, some less. An experienced beekeeper will take well less than half this. You will need to do things like light a smoker, assemble all the kit you need, put on and take off protective clothing etc. This takes the same time for one colony or twenty. There are other things that need doing like extracting and bottling honey and feeding that will take a little time. From October - March there is very little to do, except prepare equipment for the next season. Don't forget to add the time taken to go to BKA meetings, reading, chatting to other beekeepers, etc, as this is never considered!

Q: Can my family get involved?

A: Only if they want to. We regularly get people dragged along by the one who wants to be the beekeeper, so they have some help. This is always a huge mistake. If they are interested, then let them get involved at their own pace. Some don't want to get involved with the "beekeeping", but often do other things such as extracting the honey, making up or mending equipment and using the hive products.

Q: Shall I tell the neighbours I'm thinking of starting beekeeping?

A: You know them better than I do! In general, I like to be open with people. I think it's a good idea to tell them you are investigating keeping bees as early as possible, perhaps by just saying you have an interest. If they object, you will soon know! If they are sympathetic, then develop the subject gently - you may decide not to go ahead. If they can see you are seeking good advice and learning how to keep bees responsibly, they should be far more supportive. I have seen many cases where the neighbour has started as well and this is good, as there is constant help for each other.

Q: How much room will I need?

A: This is always a difficult question. You can have two gardens the same size, where one is suitable, the other less so. This could be the nearness of neighbours or public footpath, or the layout of your garden. I think you need to speak to a good local beekeeper - not someone who gives you the answer you want. Larger areas are usually no problem, but with smaller areas you will need room for your hives and space to store your equipment. There are simple ways of guiding bees above head height, so they aren't a nuisance.

Q: Will I require a licence to keep bees?

A: Not in the U.K. or Ireland, but in some countries you do. Check locally.

Q: What does it cost me to get started ?

A: Yet another difficult question. You could be lucky enough to be given all you need. There have been many cases where someone giving up has given their entire outfit to a keen beginner. If you make all your hives, are lucky enough to be given a swarm and hire honey processing equipment, the cost is small. At an extreme you can buy top quality equipment, although this is not necessary. I won't give figures here because it will date it and this website is visited by people from around the world.

I suggest you check with a couple of established suppliers online with a minimum of - smoker, hive tool and protective clothing. These need to be good quality. Hives that are "seconds" are normally quite adequate and around 50% of premium quality price. For bees, ask in your local BKA. Please don't buy anything at this stage.

Q: Do I have to be fit?

A: I always ask people to think of the bees. If they are treated roughly because the beekeeper has a physical problem, then that in my view should be the first concern.

A full brood box of the smallest size weighs around 55lbs(25kg) and the smallest super around 35lbs(16kg). Larger hives can be considerably more. There could be 3-4 supers on a colony. There are hives available that reduce lifting. You will need to be quite active, as there is bending and stretching as well. Declining health is not ideal. You will need good eyesight, because eggs are quite small. I have advised several people they are too frail, as you are dealing with a boxful of wild animals that could become aggressive and need dealing with in a split second. The decision should be yours, but if you think you have a problem that may not improve, or decline, I would seek advice. It may be manageable and I don't want to discourage anyone from keeping bees if a way can be found to do so.

It is surprising the number of people who ask if we get stung! I would have thought it was pretty obvious. If you go swimming, you will get wet!

In giving the above advice, I may appear to be a bit forceful or perhaps negative, but I have seen many people start beekeeping that were not well prepared, or simply not capable of it. At the hands of these people, it is always the bees that suffer, or someone has a chimney full of bees they don't want, because an abandoned or badly managed hive has swarmed. In my view, there is plenty of room in beekeeping for the responsible and responsive person, who is prepared to learn and treat the bees with respect. If that's you, then please take the next step and investigate further. Beekeeping is a wonderful hobby and there are some really nice, genuine and decent people in it.

Roger Patterson.

Page created 11/01/2023