If you are a beginner considering beekeeping as a hobby or as a sideline business, there are things you will want to keep in mind before making that decision. Since there are many factors involved with making money with the honey bees produce, you might want to start doing it as a hobby. There is a significant amount of money in the start-up of beekeeping. Before investing any amount of money in your beekeeping project, you might want contact beekeepers in your area. As a rule, they will more than happy to share their experience with you. Most beekeepers love keeping bees and to them it is just a "hobby", but they can give you some insight into beekeeping. Take plenty of notes.
In making the decision of beekeeping, as beginner you will want to consider the safety of family, friends, and neighbors. You wouldn't want someone to get stung that is allergic to bee stings. You will also want to check with the county you live in. You will want to know about any ordinances or laws prohibiting beekeeping.
One of the things i have found is that most beginner beekeepers fail to consider whether or not the location they have would be conducive for maintaining bees. Ideally 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 bees need water every day, you might want to have water for them close at hand. You don't want them visiting the neighbor's swimming pool. Here is a list of spots unacceptable to the health of the bees.
How many months of the year will pollen and nectar will be readily available to the bees?
Will you have to feed them in order for them to survive and how much of the year?
Is there a water supply available year round for the bees? They need water every day.
You will need to consider what will be underneath the bees as they fly to get the nectar and pollen they require. The bees will defecate as they are flying and their dropping will leave spots on everything below them. The bee droppings can even ruin the surface of a vehicle. There are simple methods that have been acquired over years of beekeeping, these methods force the bees to fly at a higher altitude, such as a tall fence or thick tall plants near the hive.
An experienced beekeeper will tell a beginner that a beekeeper must keep the bees in control every time the hive is open. A typical hive can house thousands of workers all capable of stinging. There are measures a beekeeper can take in the open that he can not take in the city because of the closeness of other people.
These are just some of the things you will want to consider starting beekeeping as a hobby or homebusiness. This should be able to help you decide wether beekeeping is for you. Beekeeping can be a rewarding venture, so there is no need to be scared of it, just because one is a beginner.
Matt Le Tutla: is the author of Beekeeping- Learn how to keep Bees successfully: Beginners Guide. This book is considered to be the Beginner's Beekeeping Bible on how to become a beekeeper. http://www.easybeekeeping.com
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