Stung by a Love For Honeybees
The Honeybee has always played an essential role in nature, and this well-known insect has played an important role in man’s world too. In ancient history, man harvested honey from wild honeybee hives and in the process destroyed those hives. This wasn’t a problem when man existed as hunter-gatherers. They would simply move on to other hives.
But many thousands of years ago, man learned to harness the power of honeybees for their delicious nectar – honey. It’s hard to know when apiculture, or the keeping of bees, truly became a structured process, but today many people engage in apiculture as a commercial business. Many others simply learn how to start beekeeping because it’s an enjoyable pursuit. And there are few hobbies as sweet!
For anyone considering venturing into beekeeping, be sure you’ve thoroughly researched the subject. If you don’t have a good understanding of apiculture and you just jump in to the hobby, imagine the difficult practicalities should you decide it isn’t a pursuit that is right for you. For starters, what would you do with the approximately 20,000 bees now on your property?
It’s very easy to build an artificial beehive, purchase a beehive kit, or acquire a working hive. But before you swarm into action, you should thoroughly research the subject by reading resource materials. Take copious notes as you read, making sure to write down any and all questions or aspects that aren’t completely clear to you. Some important aspects of learning how to start beekeeping are knowing the costs of starting an apiary all the way through to the expense in harvesting the honey. What equipment will you need? How much of your time will you need to commit for each stage of the life of the honeybee colony?
While it’s true that once your colony is up and running, they bees will, for the most part, take care of themselves. But there are other concerns you should be familiar with. For example, there are diseases that can affect bee colonies or affect the quality and safety of the honey production.
You won’t learn everything there is to know from reading and researching about bee keeping, but it’s the best place to start. After doing some good research, schedule a visit with a local bee keeper. Bring your questions with you and be prepared to spend some time (as much as he’ll accommodate) at the apiary. You’ll want to see and touch the hives, hear and see the environment, and simply be around the bees in general. You should also be prepared to feel a bee sting or two while on your visit. This is an important experience that will show you how your body and mind reacts to such an event.
There are also local, regional, and national beekeeping associations that offer a lot of good information. Many of these association hold somewhat regular meetings you can attend. In any case there are plenty of other association members who will be willing to assist in any way they can.
So when you’re ready to start beekeeping, learn all you can up front, start small, and then learn the rest as you go. Most importantly, have fun.
Author Bio: Learn How To Start Beekeeping the Easy and Simple Way! Visit: http://www.ultimatebeekeeping.com for more information.
Category: Home Management
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