Is a Beekeeping Guide Important?

This is the thing; bees WILL always sting! Honey can definitely get you money!

A beekeeping guide is absolutely necessary if you are looking to get it right with apiculture. Don't you start getting delirious, going off getting awed by these insects that produce the sweetest food substance known to man, they certainly won't kiss you back and can harm you very badly.

So what's a beekeeping guide anyway you might ask? It is precisely that 'a beekeeping guide'! If you are starting out, it is one of the things that you want to always have it nearby but even more importantly, always utilize it.

A beekeeping guide will broadly be based on the following key aspects:

Safety and best practices

Unlike most hobbies and commercial ventures, beekeeping is certainly a perilous one. Therefore, a guide should devote a substantial part to keeping you safe and protected from the bees. Though a sting is inevitable every once in a while, it should remain that way; once in a (long) while. This should include information on the protective gear you require and how to properly make use of them as well as maintain them.

About the bees

The guide should contain info on the different types of bees and their role in the colony, their behavior and characteristics, what the bees need and even the different species. Understanding the bee nature will prove to be quite useful when working around them and generally becoming sensitive to their requirements as a colony. This will ensure you get the most out of your bee colony.

Bee nice - maintenance tips

The bee colony always acts a unit and therefore if you fail to provide the ideal conditions for them to thrive, you will wake up to an empty hive. Though you may be keeping them, bees are not really 'domesticated' as with other farm animals - c'mon now, they attack you every time you visit the hive. The beekeeping guide should therefore include maintenance instructions and tips for you to ensure the bees don't head for the hills as soon as they learn that you aren't meeting your end of the deal. It also provides information on all the tools you need and a what-to-you-use-where-and-when section.

General handling

The beekeeping guide provides information on how and when to harvest the honey, handling of the combs and the hives, processing and packing of the honey and such general information as how to construct or purchase a hive, etc. A beekeeping guide will certainly ensure you are not only efficient but will go a long way in ensuring you get optimal results for your efforts and resources that you employ.