Keeping Honey Bees As A Hobby Or As A Business

If you are considering keeping honey bees as a hobby or as a part or full-time business, there are a lot of things you will want to take into consideration before making that decision. Because there are many factors concerned with honey production and making money from what the honey bees produce. You might want to start by doing it as a hobby. There will be a significant financial outlay involved in the setting up a beekeeping business. Before investing any amount of money in your beekeeping project, you might want to contact bee-keepers in your area and seek their advice. As a rule, they will be more than happy to share their experience with you. Most bee-keepers love keeping honey bees and to them it might be just a hobby, but they will be able to give you some understanding of what is involved with beekeeping. Take plenty of notes as they will be invaluable once you get started.

In making the decision to become a bee-keeper, you will want to consider the safety of your family, friends, and neighbours. You wouldn’t want anyone to get stung let alone someone who is allergic to bee stings. The best course of action is to ask your neighbours and friends, if any of them are allergic to honey bees. You will also be able to find out if there is somebody who would not like to have beehives in their vicinity. You will also need to check with the county or area authority where you live to ensure that there are no ordinances or by-laws prohibiting or restricting the keeping of honey bees.

You will also want to consider whether or not you have a location that would be conducive to keeping honey bees. You will also want to consider where the bees will have to fly to retrieve nectar and pollen. Keeping plants they like close by is not a bad idea either. Since honey bees need water every day, you might want to have water for them close at hand. You don’t want them visiting the neighbour’s swimming pool or garden pond.

Here are some other things that you will need to consider:

Will you have to feed them in order for them to survive and for how much of the year? You will also need to consider what will be underneath the honey bee’s flight path when they go foraging for nectar and pollen. The honey bees will defecate as they are flying and their faeces will leave spots on everything below them. There are ways to force the bees to fly at a height that avoids contact with people, such as a tall fence or hedge near the hive. You want the hives accessible year round. These are just some of the things you will want to think about before taking on this hobby or business.