How to start beekeeping, how to keep a bee hive

Bees produce honey as food to store, thus ensuring the survival of the colony through the winter. A beekeeper aims to bring their bees to produce more than is necessary to dispose of surplus power then. To do this, provide them proper facilities, it carefully and make sure that they have enough food in winter. In this sense, and in situations of extreme necessity, resulting from depletion of reserves or adverse winter conditions, the beekeeper may eventually have to give them a certain amount of food based syrup sugar enriched with vitamins. An amateur beekeeper can expect to get, on average, a single hive, 10-30 kg of honey per year.

How to get started in beekeeping


Start by signing up a local beekeepers' association. Then try to meet other members who live nearby and let him make contact with the work and find out if bees really like. If you do not like, it might be better to find another hobby. If all indicate that you are compatible and the bees, learn as much as you can about the best location of hives, how to manage the colony, horn working with a swarm and collect honey.

The necessary equipment including bees can cost some money, may, however, spend less buying a second-hand equipment, but in good condition, to a local beekeeper. Start with a nucleus, a small number of bees and a young queen, which can acquire a commercial producer or an association of beekeepers; the best time is in early spring or, if not possible, at the beginning of a local honey flowering.

A hive


A hive consists of several wood handles at the top and open bottom and stacked on each other. The handles contain a series of frames frames where bees produce the combs. The combs of the upper straps are used for the storage of honey; the lower loops form the brood chamber where the queen lays eggs and where new bees are born. Always start with a few hives, and the following year, you may need a few more to rehouse their bees, if they have swarmed (formed a new cluster), thus enabling the creation of a new colony.

There are several types of hives, but the changeover is perhaps the best for the beginner.

Protective clothing

The most important is a mask or veil against bees made ​​of net or plastic, attached to a wide-brimmed hat to keep away from face and neck, The veil should reach shoulders so do not get any opening where bees can enter.

Protect the body with a jumpsuit that has a zipper and righteous fists; ankles goal pants inside thick socks or high boots.

Gloves protect your hands, but make it difficult to perform delicate tasks. It is possible to work without gloves: dealing carefully with bees, is unlikely to be shredded, or at least not often be as long as the weather conditions are favorable (never in windy days).

Fumigator

It utensil comprising a container in which dry wood is burned, rags or, preferably, raw cypress or cedar, a funnel cover and a bellows to pump the smoke. Use a large smoker that produces smoke for as long as possible. A funnel is sloped which gives better results.



Lever beekeeper, or scraper


This instrument has a scraper steel at one end and a flat blade on the other. Fits scrape propolis (bee varnish itself) and also to separate the loops that form the hive and to scrape the wax frames.



It consists of two handles with a spring and serves to raise the frames.

Feeder


To survive during the winter, bees are fed sugar syrup. There are several types of feeders, but it is possible to manufacture a making small holes in a can with a lid so that the syrup can drain.

How to deal with the stings of bees


There are some rare cases, the hiperalérgicas to bee stings, suffering dizziness and may even become comatose people. Quickly if a doctor is the reacting abnormally, look or go to the hospital. The usual reaction is then chopped pain in the area of a bump; However, most beekeepers quickly becomes immune though pain in the bite area ceases to verify swelling.

Remove the stinger by pulling it with the nail out of the skin. Not grip to pull it, so it will release more venom into the body. The immediate pain can be smoothed by applying an antihistamine cream or a solution of baking soda and water (one teaspoon of baking soda to a glass of water).