Content
- 1 Apiary for beginners
- 2 What do you need to breed bees?
- 3 Selection and acquisition of bees
- 4 What a novice beekeeper should know about bee nutrition
- 5 How to Care for Bees for Beginners
- 6 All about beekeeping: tips for beginners
- 7 How to start beekeeping from scratch and not make mistakes
- 8 Is beekeeping worth it?
- 9 Conclusion
Beekeeping for beginners may seem difficult and painstaking. In fact, the result is more than worth the effort invested. With the right approach to the craft, it is possible to expand honey production without much expense. To do this, beginners need to familiarize themselves with the basic secrets of caring for bees.
Apiary for beginners
Before breeding bees, you should obtain basic knowledge so that you can subsequently apply it in practice. A novice beekeeper needs to start studying with the physiology of Hymenoptera. Basic information can be taken from the scientific literature on beekeeping. It is equally important to understand the principles of apiary structure. After all, it is precisely this that is the main place for further work by a beginner with bees. A city resident will have to purchase a plot in a rural area.
The size of the apiary, the photo of which is posted below, is selected individually, depending on further plans for breeding insects. If the main goal of a novice beekeeper is to sell products, it is necessary to prepare a large area. If the apiary is being built for amateur interest, a small part of the garden plot for beekeeping will be enough.
What is an apiary
An apiary is a specially equipped area where hives with bees are located. Caring for bees and arranging their home allows you to get a harvest in the form of various beekeeping products. Later they are eaten and used for medicinal purposes.
Beekeeping became widespread tens of thousands of years ago. Initially, this type of agriculture was a type of active gathering. Later, domestic bees began to be bred. In ancient Egypt, beehives were made from mud. Outwardly, they resembled miniature earthen pots. The modern type of construction was obtained only in Kievan Rus, in the 8th century. During this period, hives began to look like wooden houses with a hinged lid. They were placed in the very thick of the forest.
In modern beekeeping, the apiary is placed in close proximity to civilization. For beginners, this makes it easier to observe a bee family. A control hive must be built in the apiary. It serves as an indicator for assessing beekeeping productivity. In addition to the hives, drinking bowls are installed on the apiary territory. The most optimal place to place them for beginners is at the edge of the territory. In beekeeping, apiaries are divided into the following types:
- pollinated;
- complex;
- honey-commercial;
- queen bee;
- pollinated-honey.
How many hives are there in the apiary?
Breeding bees for beginners starts with selecting a territory. Since bees love free space, one hive will require at least 1.5 m². In the learning process, a few small hives are enough for beginners. Experienced beekeepers prefer to keep 10-30 hives under control. In total, beekeeping will require 15-45 m². It is also necessary to take care of the reserve territory, since production may expand over time.
Is it worth starting one hive?
In order to learn beekeeping, even one hive is enough for beginners. The swarming process will lead to the fact that by spring one bee colony will become two. But you need to understand that a small apiary carries a lot of risk. The result depends on how responsibly the novice beekeeper approaches beekeeping.
What is it for and how to get an apiary passport
To be able to sell beekeeping products, you must register your apiary accordingly. After completing the documents, the novice beekeeper is given an apiary passport.It indicates the conditions for keeping bees, their health, breed and a list of honey plants growing around. Thanks to the passport, the following actions become available:
- purchasing foundation;
- buying and selling bees;
- changing the location of the apiary;
- sale of any beekeeping products.
The veterinary and sanitary passport includes 7 subsections. It is signed by the official who carried out the laboratory tests as part of a general inspection. To obtain a document, you should contact your local veterinary station. First, they submit an application, the form of which can be downloaded on the Internet. Then an inspector comes to the apiary of the novice breeder. He takes samples from the hive and sends them to the laboratory. After receiving the results, a decision is made on issuing a passport. In the future, the apiary is checked annually. After each inspection visit, the corresponding marks are placed in the passport. The need to obtain a new document in beekeeping arises when the owner of an apiary changes or if the old document runs out of blank pages.
In beekeeping, problems with obtaining a passport for beginners may arise if deviations are discovered during laboratory research. In this case, it is necessary to thoroughly disinfect the apiary and eliminate the source of the problem. Only after this will a re-check be scheduled.
After receiving a passport, novice beekeepers have the opportunity to obtain other types of documents. They are needed if the beekeeper wants to win over the buyer by confirming the high quality of the honey. Analysis of the absence of heavy metals in beekeeping products is done upon request.A certificate of bee brood confirms the absence of foulbrood in the biomaterial.
Choosing a place for an apiary
Before you start raising bees, you need to pay attention to selecting the territorial location of the apiary. Bees reproduce best near fruit crops. It is advisable that the hives be located in the shade and away from drafts. The most suitable microclimate is observed in the southern part of the site. It is there that the bees survive the winter more successfully. It is important to take care of the closest location to the honey plant apiary. Beginners are recommended to install an apiary near flowering meadows and gardens with fruit crops.
What a novice beekeeper needs to know about honey plants
To become a beekeeper from scratch, you need to study not only information about bees, but also analyze the best honey plants. Among the trees, beekeepers distinguish:
- linden;
- willow;
- cherry;
- viburnum;
- forest raspberries;
- rowan;
- plum;
- apple tree;
- black currant.
To get a good bribe, some novice beekeepers independently sow the territory with honey plants. Thus, they significantly increase the quality and quantity of the harvest. The most common flower honey plants include:
- clover;
- catnip;
- phacelia;
- Melissa;
- borage.
What do you need to breed bees?
The process of breeding bees at home for beginners must begin with preparing equipment and purchasing bees. You can buy hives ready-made or make your own. The second option involves the use of soft wood. When building a hive, you need to rely on the drawings of experienced beekeepers.
To protect the hives from bad weather, they should be painted with varnish. When choosing paint colors, it is not recommended to give preference to black and red, since bees do not distinguish between them. In beekeeping, it is advisable to use bright colors.
It is equally important to make a supply of foundation sheets. They are inserted into an empty frame and then attached to it using a hot roller. If you do not put a frame with foundation in the hive, the bees will rebuild too many defective cells.
Choosing hives for a novice beekeeper
If you start beekeeping without experience, you can make mistakes at the beginning of your journey. It is advisable to study in advance all the nuances of the production of beekeeping products. For experienced beekeepers, multi-level structures are the best option. Bees develop much faster in them. A beginner in beekeeping will not be able to cope with such a hive alone.
Many beekeepers prefer to make bee houses with their own hands. This allows you to choose the most optimal design option for your capabilities.
Initially, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the types of bee houses. They are:
- horizontal;
- vertical;
- single-hull;
- multi-hull
When choosing a type of hive, it is necessary to take into account the physical capabilities of the novice breeder and how often he will visit the apiary. It is equally important to focus on the selected Hymenoptera breed.
The simplest houses are sunbeds made of 20 frames. They do not need to be moved from place to place, which simplifies the activities of a beginner in beekeeping. The advantages of such hives include the ability to support two families at once. In this case, they are separated from each other by a partition.
What a novice beekeeper needs to know about equipment
The presence of equipment in the apiary allows a beginner to perform the necessary actions with bees at any time. Required tools include:
- framework;
- foundation;
- frame extension roller;
- smoker;
- chisel;
- diaphragm with grille;
- electric knives;
- honey extractor;
- protective suit.
Beginners purchase other tools as needed. If you want to measure the daily weight gain of the hive, you can buy scales. But most often, novice beekeepers can do without them. If there is a need to remove the queens, you will need:
- dividing grid;
- drone trap;
- insulator;
- incubator;
- portable equipment.
Tips for a novice beekeeper on choosing clothes
Beekeeping is considered quite dangerous. In the case of a Hymenoptera bite, Quincke's edema can develop, which is fatal. Therefore, it is important to avoid direct contact with bees. The main condition for working in beekeeping is the absence of exposed skin. A beginner’s protective kit must include the following items of clothing:
- closed shoes;
- gloves;
- overalls;
- jacket;
- mask.
The cuffs of a novice breeder's clothing should be elasticized, since the bee is able to climb inside the suit. It is recommended to pay attention to white clothes. It does not cause aggression in bees. The material must be durable, smooth and water-repellent. Specialized overalls and jackets have a multi-layer structure. Some of them are resistant to fire.
Beekeeping training from scratch
The basics of bee care for beginners can be learned in specialized courses. You can also use information about beekeeping obtained on the Internet. If you plan to make beekeeping your main activity, you can enroll in a higher educational institution. To try themselves in practice, some beginners become assistants to experienced beekeepers. This helps to clearly understand the principle of working with bees. The desire to develop and learn new things is of great importance in beekeeping. This will allow the introduction of modern systems into production that improve the quality of the crop.
Selection and acquisition of bees
The breeding technique of bees is determined by their breed. The behavior of working individuals, the tendency to swarm and resistance to harsh climates depends on it.
If a purebred breed is important to a novice beekeeper, he should go to a specialized nursery. In more severe climatic conditions, Central Russian bees are used in beekeeping. In the southern regions, productive Caucasian women are in demand. If you choose the Carpathian breed, you need to remember that it is prone to swarming.
The main factor that you need to pay attention to when choosing bees for beginners is the resistance of the breed to the area where the apiary is planned to be built. The purchase must be made at a place located no further than 15 km from the apiary. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the health of the bees. Negative signs include torn wings and petrified brood at the bottom of the hive. The seller must show the buyer the queen. The strength of the bee colony depends on its condition.
Where can I get bees?
To start bees from scratch, you need to visit a specialized nursery.The cost directly depends on the breed. You can also purchase bees from a private individual. The price of one family varies from 3,000 to 8,000 rubles.
Some beekeepers catch wild bees themselves. They are considered more productive, but embittered. Therefore, the fishing process is quite difficult for beginners. The most suitable way to catch a swarm is to use a trap.
The right time to buy bees
It is best for beginners to purchase bees in early spring. During this period, it is possible to analyze the state of the family and the activity of the uterus with the greatest accuracy. The bees are finishing their flight and inspecting their supplies. In summer, bees are at their peak. During transportation there is a risk of death of the queen or brood. This often happens to new beekeepers. Buying bees in late autumn eliminates the possibility of checking the colony for serious diseases.
How to choose a bee breed
For beginners, it is important to know everything about bees and beekeeping. This will allow you to choose the right breed of bees, thereby increasing the profitability of production. The following breeds are most common in Russia:
- Central Russian;
- gray mountain Caucasian;
- Krajina;
- Carpathian
The choice should be based on the territorial location of the apiary. If you breed a breed that is not resistant to cold in harsh conditions, the family will gradually die out.
Life cycle of a honey bee
Knowledge of the intricacies of the life cycle of Hymenoptera will allow beginners in beekeeping to control all processes occurring within the family. In total, the lifespan of a honey bee is 40 days. Individuals born in the fall live longer, since they do not have to exhaust themselves with spring work.Throughout its life, a bee goes through several stages of development:
- egg;
- larva;
- adult.
From the moment of oviposition until the larvae hatch, it takes about 3 days. Working individuals are engaged in feeding the larvae. First they are given royal jelly, and later - bee bread and honey. After 7 days, adults carry out the process of sealing the larvae into honeycombs. At this point, they no longer fit in their cell. After 12 days, an adult bee emerges through the shell.
At first, she is in the hive, gaining strength for the flight. Her tasks at this stage include cleaning the cells in order to prepare them for oviposition. For the first 4 days, the bee is fed by her companions. In the future, she can get her own food on her own. This is due to the beginning of the formation of glands responsible for the production of royal jelly.
After 22 days from birth, the bee becomes an adult. She collects and transports nectar. During one flight, a working individual is capable of carrying about 40 mg of nectar. Honeybees are constantly on the move, so they have a fairly short lifespan.
What a novice beekeeper should know about bee nutrition
In spring, bees feed on pollen and nectar. In the process of their work, bees process them into honey. During wintering, the main food is honey stored in the spring. In some cases, a novice beekeeper has to supplement his bees with sugar syrup or vitamin supplements. It is especially important to ensure the availability of fresh food in winter, when bees expend more energy than usual.
How to Care for Bees for Beginners
The profitability of beekeeping for beginners largely depends on the quality of bee care. In the apiary, it is important to regularly carry out work aimed at maintaining the health of the bees and increasing the yield. Mandatory procedures in beekeeping include:
- disease prevention;
- feeding;
- cleaning the hive from dirt and old brood;
- arrangement of the hive for the winter;
- breeding new queens.
What difficulties will you have to face: bee diseases and pests?
Beginners can judge the health of bees by looking at the hive entrance. If there are dead or sedentary individuals present, this may indicate a disease in the family. Not a single beekeeper is immune from their development. The most common diseases encountered in beekeeping are invasive and infectious diseases. Their causative agent can be a fungus, bacteria or virus. The most common diseases include:
- melanosis;
- aspergillosis;
- paratyphoid;
- varroatosis;
- nematosis;
- colibacillosis.
To prevent the development of dangerous diseases, it is necessary to fumigate the hive in a timely manner and treat it with special solutions. For each disease there is a specific drug. A novice beekeeper can understand the presence of diseases by a decrease in the activity of working individuals. Some bees may lie motionless near the flight board. Diseases suffered significantly weaken the family. Therefore, it is important to carry out timely prevention of various ailments.
All about beekeeping: tips for beginners
Beginners in the field of beekeeping should listen to more experienced comrades. It is much easier to learn from other people's mistakes. To make beekeeping as profitable as possible, you should:
- prepare for wintering in the spring;
- purchase equipment only in specialized stores;
- regularly carry out activities to improve family health;
- start breeding Hymenoptera with no more than 5 hives;
- Maintain cleanliness in the apiary.
How to start beekeeping from scratch and not make mistakes
Based on the experience of other beekeepers, beginners can avoid possible problems with working in the apiary. Therefore, it is extremely important for beginners to listen to the advice of more experienced colleagues. The most common mistakes made by novice beekeepers include:
- lack of feed supplies;
- presence of bee diseases;
- improper storage of obtained bee products;
- incorrect choice of plants for honey collection;
- weakening of the family or the beginning of swarming.
Is beekeeping worth it?
Before starting to breed bees, beginners try to weigh the pros and cons of production. The main advantage of beekeeping is the ability to provide your family with any bee products. As you know, honey is not only a good alternative to sugar, but can also act as a medicine.
With the right approach, beekeeping for beginners can bring good income. It directly depends on the efforts of the beekeeper. From one nest you can collect about 35 liters of honey per season. In monetary terms, this equals 20,000 rubles. You need to understand that working in an apiary for beginners requires physical resources. In addition, no one is immune from fire, natural disasters and theft of a bee family.
Conclusion
Beekeeping for beginners, in most cases, is of interest because of the possibility of obtaining benefits.But not everyone is ready to spend maximum free time searching and studying information. If a beekeeper approaches his business responsibly, the benefits will not be long in coming.
