How many bee hives should you start with?

Most beekeeping classes recommend that the new beekeeper begin with 2 hives. In my online beekeeping class, I encourage my students to begin with 2 that first year.

Can I have just 1 bee hive?

It's okay to start out with just one beehive, especially if you're unsure if beekeeping is really for you. However, keep in mind that bee colonies can die even if you do everything right. With only one hive, your entire bee supply would be gone.

How many bee hives should I have?

The average backyard hobbyist should always start with 2 hives or more. Why? With two hives, you can compare the hives to each other. If one colony loses its queen, then you can place a frame of brood with young larvae from the other hive into your queenless hive and they will raise their own.

How many hives do you need to make a profit?

Beekeepers with 300 or more hives are considered commercial beekeepers, and their beekeeping businesses can be very profitable. Many commercial beekeepers migrate their colonies to provide pollination services to farmers while simultaneously providing their bees with abundant nectar sources for honey production.

Is it better to have 2 bee hives?

Simply put, the more hives a beekeeper has, the better the chance that one of them will survive into the next season. Having more than one colony also gives a beekeeper more options when managing a weak or troublesome hive.

How Many Hives

When should I start a new beehive?

When starting a beehive, the spring is ideal time. As soon as the weather begins to warm up and flowers start to bloom, you can set up your hive. Plan well and get your bees into the hive as soon as possible to allow them the time to gather as much nectar as possible through the next few months.

Can you put 2 beehives next to each other?

You can space a pair of hives as close to six inches from each other, but you need several feet of space around one or two sides in order to move equipment around as you're working the hives. Know what predators (man or beast) are in your area and what protection your bees will need.

Is it expensive to keep bees?

The minimum cost to start beekeeping with one beehive is about $760 for the first year. One set of hive components costs around $270. A bee package is approximately $175. Protective gear and basic tools cost $165 while miscellaneous costs for supplies and sales taxes are about $150.

How difficult is beekeeping?

Beekeeping is not easy but the experience is both rewarding and fun. Beekeeping can be time consuming, expensive, physically demanding, and requires patience. There are many hazards your bees will face, such as pest infestation, parasites, predators and disease.

Can I split a first year hive?

Don't split a first year hive. Such a hive will need all the honey it can get to make it through the winter. Don't put it at risk. Consider only 2nd year (or later) colonies as candidates for splits.

Can you start a hive with just a queen?

You can start a hive with only a mated queen. That mated queen will die but you will still have your hive. What you need is a colony of bees with a queen to place in the hive to become a working organism using the hive you provided for them.

Do bees know their keeper?

Bees DO NOT recognize their beekeepers!

Beekeepers are naturally calmer and more careful around bees, so bees just leave them alone.

How much do bees cost?

The cost of bees will range from $100-$350 (but if you catch a swarm, it's free!) Without them, your hives would jsust be eccentric pieces of furniture. Bees can be purchased as a package, a nuclear hive (known as a nuc), or even as an established colony. If you are very lucky, you could catch a swarm.

How many acres of flowers do you need for a beehive?

How much land does it take to feed one colony of bees? Conventional wisdom suggests that to nourish one colony of honeybees it takes one acre of blossoming trees, shrubs, or flowers to thrive.

How do I start a new beehive?

Can you make a living keeping bees?

The short answer is yes, and beekeeping for profit extends far beyond simply selling your own honey. In fact, there are many ways to make money with beekeeping that most new and for-profit beekeepers aren't aware of. We often speak about what we can do for the bees, now let's see what they can do for us.

How many times do you harvest honey in a year?

In a healthy, productive hive, it is normal to be able to harvest honey two to three times each season. Most beekeepers will harvest honey between June and September, but how often you harvest and how much honey you get will depend on a number of factors.

How often do you empty a beehive?

Most beekeepers will harvest between two and three times per season from an established hive. Do remember to always leave honey in the hive for the bees to feed on.

What are the main disadvantages of beekeeping?

Diseases, pesticides, and parasites are the most common troubles encountered by bees, but sometimes, there is no explanation for an unhealthy hive. Take the time to learn how to keep your bees healthy and to inquire about any problems other beekeepers in your area might have had.

How much is a bee hive worth?

A Beehive: $120-$200. A Hive Tool: $7-$12. A Bee Brush: $6-$10. A Bee Smoker: $30-$40.

How far should beehives be from a house?

Even though each case is different, we can use some general estimates of a safe distance to be from the hive. For a honey bee colony with a calm temperature, give yourself at least 4 feet of clearance behind the hive and on each side if possible. At the hive entrance, an area of 25 feet is the best minimum.

Can a bee join a new hive?

A bee can join another hive, providing it brings nectar or pollen into the hive and is heavily doused with pheromones, which is the unique chemical signature from the original or interrelated hive. If the guard bees from the new colony recognize this signature, it may be allowed to enter.

Do bee hives fight each other?

Bees from different hives sometimes fight each other. Fighting usually only occurs when there are specific conditions, such as nectar shortage or if a bee colony's hive has been destroyed. Intruder bees are kept out by guard bees, and they are generally killed if they try to enter the hive.