Honey Bee Beekeeping for Beginners

Clothing

• Beekeepers require special protective clothing when handling the hive, including a veil, a boiler suit and pliable gloves.

Equipment

• All beekeepers require two basic tools for beekeeping: a smoker and a hive tool. A smoker burns natural materials to release smoke, which calms the bees and allows the beekeeper to safely remove the honey. Hive tools are long steel devices used to scrape hard to reach areas of the hive.

The Hive

• Modern hand-crafted hives allow beekeepers to easily manipulate and remove honey as required. Second-hand hives can be used, but they must be thoroughly sterilized to prevent infection and disease among the bees.

Obtaining the Bees

• Bees may be obtained from local beekeepers selling surplus stock or from special bee farms. Natural swarms, small colonies (known as a nucleus), or complete colonies may be purchased. Beginners are advised to start with a small colony, which will expand into a full-size colony within a year.