As a honeybees bee keeping beginner, there are a number of ways to get honeybees.
Here are some ways to get honeybees plus the advantages as well as disadvantages of each.
1.
A Swarm is a Good Thing This is a fun way to get started with honeybees beekeeping and best thing is it's FREE! You can contact you community beekeeping association and have your name on their swarm list that usually gives preference to beginners.
With an experienced beekeeper's aid, you can easily collect a swarm and place it in a hive and presto, you have a colony! The downside to this method though is that it tends to be unpredictable.
You will never know when you'll catch your swarm as there are also people waiting for their own swarm.
Since no brood is present, you cannot judge how good a queen your colony will have.
Generally, swarms usually need a new queen as soon as possible.
Another is that you cannot know the temperament or disease status of the swarm as you likewise do not know its origin.
Expect not to get honey in the initial year although this is dependent on swarm size as well as time of year.
Better results are gained at the earlier parts.
2.
Package Bees Package bees is composed of a queen placed in another cage and 2 to 3 pounds of loose bees plus which packed in an especially designed box which can be carried through mail.
A can of sugar syrup can also be employed during the transit.
Besides the swarm, this is the most inexpensive method to purchase bees.
Due to transport strain, there is sometimes difficulty introducing the bees to the hive.
Generally, though, this is a fairly easy mode to begin beekeeping.
But just like a swarm, there's no brood and likewise to way to evaluate the queen.
No brood likewise equates to longer time prior to colony establishment as the bees take longer to build in numbers.
Consequently, no honey will be produced for the initial year but then again, like a swarm, it depends on the time you collect your bees as well as the flow of nectar in the area.
3.
Nucleus Colony Also known as "nuc," this refers to a small fleeting hive which usually contains 4 to 5 brood frames.
It consist of a queen, around 10,000 bees and a plenitude of honey, brood as well as pollen.
Typically, a nuc is collected locally making the bees suited for the location which is a real advantage for honeybees bee keeping.
The nuc's queen is typically new and you'll discover the queen's rate of production by simply examining the brood.
The bees could have a great start when you transfer them to a beehive and you can have a great chance of producing honey within your initial year.
However, this is a more costly way of getting started in contrast to collecting loose bees since you're purchasing a small but established colony.
4.
Completely Established Colony Among the options stated here, this is the most costly one although you should take note that you don't need to have or purchase a new hive.
This method will have on the run right away.
Since the colony is already established with a box full of stores and brood, you have a greater chance of getting honey in your initial season.
However, you must take note that there are probable disease problems and the queen may be at the latter stages of her productive years.
Some parts of the hive may need replacement as well.
If you choose this method, be sure to check the colony prior to your purchase.
You can ask an experience beekeeper for assistance.
Here are some ways to get honeybees plus the advantages as well as disadvantages of each.
1.
A Swarm is a Good Thing This is a fun way to get started with honeybees beekeeping and best thing is it's FREE! You can contact you community beekeeping association and have your name on their swarm list that usually gives preference to beginners.
With an experienced beekeeper's aid, you can easily collect a swarm and place it in a hive and presto, you have a colony! The downside to this method though is that it tends to be unpredictable.
You will never know when you'll catch your swarm as there are also people waiting for their own swarm.
Since no brood is present, you cannot judge how good a queen your colony will have.
Generally, swarms usually need a new queen as soon as possible.
Another is that you cannot know the temperament or disease status of the swarm as you likewise do not know its origin.
Expect not to get honey in the initial year although this is dependent on swarm size as well as time of year.
Better results are gained at the earlier parts.
2.
Package Bees Package bees is composed of a queen placed in another cage and 2 to 3 pounds of loose bees plus which packed in an especially designed box which can be carried through mail.
A can of sugar syrup can also be employed during the transit.
Besides the swarm, this is the most inexpensive method to purchase bees.
Due to transport strain, there is sometimes difficulty introducing the bees to the hive.
Generally, though, this is a fairly easy mode to begin beekeeping.
But just like a swarm, there's no brood and likewise to way to evaluate the queen.
No brood likewise equates to longer time prior to colony establishment as the bees take longer to build in numbers.
Consequently, no honey will be produced for the initial year but then again, like a swarm, it depends on the time you collect your bees as well as the flow of nectar in the area.
3.
Nucleus Colony Also known as "nuc," this refers to a small fleeting hive which usually contains 4 to 5 brood frames.
It consist of a queen, around 10,000 bees and a plenitude of honey, brood as well as pollen.
Typically, a nuc is collected locally making the bees suited for the location which is a real advantage for honeybees bee keeping.
The nuc's queen is typically new and you'll discover the queen's rate of production by simply examining the brood.
The bees could have a great start when you transfer them to a beehive and you can have a great chance of producing honey within your initial year.
However, this is a more costly way of getting started in contrast to collecting loose bees since you're purchasing a small but established colony.
4.
Completely Established Colony Among the options stated here, this is the most costly one although you should take note that you don't need to have or purchase a new hive.
This method will have on the run right away.
Since the colony is already established with a box full of stores and brood, you have a greater chance of getting honey in your initial season.
However, you must take note that there are probable disease problems and the queen may be at the latter stages of her productive years.
Some parts of the hive may need replacement as well.
If you choose this method, be sure to check the colony prior to your purchase.
You can ask an experience beekeeper for assistance.
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