Three Essential Tips For Keeping Honey Bees on Your Property

From harvesting beeswax and honey, to repopulating colonies in danger, and for the purposes of crop pollination there are so many terrific reasons for keeping honey bees.




For all the bees have to offer us, shouldn't we give them the best possible conditions to thrive?



Here are three tips for keeping honey bees for your own personal use.



1. Make Sure Bees Are Fed: Bees need to be fed in cold weather conditions, as well as while they are setting up and populating a new hive.



You can mix up a simple syrup of sugar and water to feed to your bees during this time. Some beekeepers choose to feed bees by use of a Boardman feeder, however many prefer to place the syrup inside the top cover near the opening in the inner cover.



Placing the syrup inside the cover allows easy access to the food for the bees, but keeps unwanted pests out.



Bees can consume a great deal when they are first establishing a hive, so you will need to check the syrup regularly. Once the bees begin to produce honey, you can stop feeding the syrup but be sure to leave some honey in the hive for nourishment during the early spring and winter months.



2. Provide A Water Source: Water plays an important role for bees. Bees use this liquid to cool their hive during hot and humid conditions, and they also use it to dilute the honey during the production process.



Be sure to keep water a safe distance from the hive opening, as bees can drown very easily when flying in and out.



3. Think Of Your Neighbors: When keeping honey bees, you should keep the comfort of others in mind. Just because you think bees are fun to have around, does not mean your neighbors will think the same way.



Many beekeepers install a wooden fence around the hive to prevent problems. The fence should be constructed to follow the same direction as the opening of they hive, allowing for the bees to fly over the fence and away from nearby neighbors.



The most important thing with beekeeping is to educate yourself on all there is to know about how to get started.



Visit Modern Beekeeping for a comprehensive guide created just for beginners that truly want to get the most out of this hobby. Keeping honey bees is a tremendously rewarding pastime and one that you and your whole family can take part in and be proud of.



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