Beginning Beekeeping

Q. I am interested in starting to keep bees. What is my next step?
A. We run a Beginners Beekeeping course starting early every year. If you drop us an email to beginners@hwbka.co.uk we will be happy to send you some information. Alternatively feel free to call one of us on the numbers in the contact us section of the website.

Q. How much time does it take to manage a hive?
A. For the inexperienced beekeeper you can spend about half an hour per hive per week during the height of the beeking season (April to August), and less time during the winter. In addition, honey is extracted twice a year; this can take about two hours per hive.

Q. How much will it cost me to keep bees?
A. For good quality clothing and the necessary tools it should cost no more £200. Also as a club we try to introduce beginners with a lower cost route to owning a hive and their first bees.

Q. How much honey can one beehive produce?
A. One hive could produce 60 pounds of honey in a good season. An average hive, however, produces 20-30 pounds of surplus honey.

Q. What do I do if I see a swarm of bees?
A. Don't panic: bees in a swarm are universally in a good mood. They cannot easily sting even if antagonised as they have gorged themselves with honey and cannot get their bodies into the best position to sting. If the swarm is not causing a nuisance then leave it -- gradually the bees will cluster in a bush or tree and remain there for up to three days. During that time scouts will be sent out to look for a new home. If you see a swarm then please contact our swarm officer - Bill Bendyshe-Brown and he will arrange for the swarm to be collected.

Q. How do beekeepers catch a swarm?
A. Beekeepers usually catch swarms when the bees collect on a branch of a tree or bush. The beekeeper simply shakes the swarm into a cardboard box that can be secured and has adequate vents. On occasions it may be necessary to remove some foliage collect the swarm. The swarm is then taken to a prepared hive and simply shaken in. It is a dramatic sight to see a swarm marching into a new hive

Q. How long does a bee live?
A. In the summer, a worker bee only lives for about six weeks. The workers born in the autumn will live until the following spring. A queen can live up to five years. However, for the beekeeper, a queen is beyond her prime in her third year. A beekeeper will usually requeen a hive once a year.

Q. How many bees are in a beehive?
A. In the summer there can be about 50-60,000 bees in a hive. This number may drop to around 5,000 in the winter. Honey bees do not hibernate in the winter they simply form a cluster in the hive for warmth.