Beekeeping Bee Hives In Apiary: Honey And Beekeepers

At first glance, the practice of beekeeping seems like a cut and dry job. It appears easy enough to buy a few bees, stick them in a bee hive, then just sit back and reap the benefits of a new society of little honey producing machines. Of course this depiction of beekeeping is an enormous misconception; as is the image of beekeeping likely to be conjured up.

The long rows of hives, beekeepers dressed from head to toe in unusual khaki and netting ensembles, and stockpiles of honeycomb just waiting to be packaged and sold is by and large a fallacy. Though this might be an accurate depiction of a few apiaries, beekeeping is usually practiced in far more intimate settings and involves much more than the simple harvesting of honey. Beekeeping is a very intricate and delicate process which involves thought, strategy and skill.

While beekeeping seems like an activity to take up for profit, it is in fact very difficult to make money through beekeeping. While a bee hive or two and the right equipment might cost a few hundred dollars, the sheer number of bees needed to be maintained in order to make a significant gain through beekeeping would cost much more, not to mention the necessary tools and storage also required. Instead, beekeeping should be considered a leisurely pursuit, something to do for the sheer joy of being a beekeeper and not for the possibility of financial success.

There are a few reasons to begin an apiary. Obviously the honey and beeswax a bee hive will produce is one major draw of beekeeping. Beyond their ambrosial nectar, some people find having a personal supply of bees can help with the pollination of gardens and crops in a natural and effective way. Still others find that beekeeping provides an excellent opportunity to begin a business in selling bees to other beekeepers.

The practice of beekeeping hinges on several factors. One must first decide upon a type of hive, of which there are many to choose. Each type of bee hive has its own advantages, such as the Landstroth design which was the first bee hive to offer movable combs. This bee hive still manages to be one of the most prominent bee hives in the world today. However, the basic layout for all bee hives remains the same, with each sporting similar features and always coming in square or rectangular proportions with wooden frames.

The next is the management of the hive, which is by far the most intensive and important aspect of beekeeping. The goal of beekeeping is to optimize the size of each bee colony so as to produce the best results for a particular use. Controlling the hive populations and managing their reproduction constitute the main parts of beekeeping. Success or failure all weighs upon the abilities of the beekeeper to execute those two functions.

While beekeeping is certainly an intriguing hobby and may seem to be a bit archaic, it does have a distinct charm. To produce homegrown honey or beeswax can achieve the same sense of accomplishment received from managing a greenhouse or garden. Above all, it is certainly a time intensive art form, and the trials and tribulations of managing the colonies can be as frustrating as a case of the hiccups that just will not go away. Yet with patience and a little luck, beekeeping could be a rewarding and satisfying pursuit for anyone interested in maintaining their own apiary.


Sources:
Miksha, Ron. "How to Beegin Beekeeping." Aug. 2006. Beekeeping: The Beekeepers Home Pages. 7 Aug. 2006. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/beekeepin g/.

"Beekeeping." Wikipedia. 3 Aug. 2007. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 7 Aug. 2007. htt p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beekeeping.

Answers.com Technology. 2007. Answers Corporation. 7 Aug. 2007. http://www.answers.com/topic/beekeep