Beekeeping in the Garden

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Beekeeping in the Garden

Beekeeping has been one of our most valued forms of livestock production throughout history. The reason for this is that they do so much for us.

Apart from the honey they produce, they give us beeswax, cosmetics, antibiotics and (too often overlooked) they pollinate many of our crops.

OK, beekeeping is not for everyone, even though the honey they produce probably is! So before going any further, you should consider whether there really is a place for honeybees in your food garden.

The first thing to remember is that Bees DO NOT BITE! (No teeth!) Unfortunately they sting like all 'get-out' and if you keep bees - you will get stung. When I spent time working with my Uncle (a professional beekeeper) I averaged two stings a day.

It is important to bear this in mind, because - as my Uncle used to say - "If you don't want to get stung, then you'd better stay away from bees". But just as importantly, while you may be prepared for the stings, your neighbors may not!

As a general rule, you should have a place for your bees that is at least 200 yards from the nearest fence, driveway or road.

Honeybees can travel more than a mile in search of nectar and pollen, but they only go that far if they must. If your garden provides for their needs they will stay close to the hive.

And while we are on the subject of when NOT to keep bees, if you or one of your neighbors has a horse - forget about bees as it takes only one sting in the neck to kill a horse! If you or one of your neighbors is an Azalea and Rhododendron enthusiast, then bees are not for you either as these plant produce poisonous honey.

Dogs probably aren't a good idea either, especially if the are noisy and inquisitive. Bees do best in a quiet and calm environment.

If you have a place for them and you would like to take up beekeeping, the best thing is to have a step-by-step guide at hand and build experience as you go. Beekeeping is not difficult or complicated, but it can be very frustrating for beginners and (as with all livestock) experience really is the best teacher.

The best guide for beekeeping newbies I have found so far is an E-book simply titled "Beekeeping for Beginners".

Of course, there are also a lot of good websites on the subject - especially if you already have honeybees and a reasonable amount of experience. One of the most useful ones that I have found is simply titled Bees-on-the-Net. You will find lots of good information there, but even this site still tends to be better for those who already know something of the subject.

For myself, I cannot keep honeybees in my food garden - its too small and, since working with my Uncle all those years ago, I am now rather sensitive to bee stings. All is not lost, however, as there are actually many types of bees to consider.

I am presently looking into the prospect of keeping Australian Stingless Honeybees. These are native to the warmer areas of the country (not where I live unfortunately), but I have heard that there may still be ways to keep them - at least for pollination purposes - so I am trying to find out more. If you would also like more information about Australian Stingless Bees, there is a very good website to visit.

Native bees, both in Australia and elsewhere have been getting increased attention over recent years. At first because feral swarms of European honeybees looked like threatening many species with extinction. But now there may be another good reason to consider native species as alternative honey producers.

The mysterious disappearance of bees from their hives in North America has become so concerning, it has even been given a name: "Colony Collapse Disorder" (CCD). Many possible culprits have been suggested, including chemicals, GMOs and even cell phones, but so far no real answers have been found.

The mystery deepens because the vacated hives are not attacked by other species that normally take advantage of the resources available in a dead hive. So although it is known that bees navigate using a grid in the sky that is only visible in the UV spectrum, disruption of this method of navigation due to Climate Change also seems unlikely.

To date the condition is mainly found in the United States as well as parts of Canada and Europe. This, together with the lack of CCD in Australia, suggests another potential problem. The Australian industry does not breed the strain selected for pollination rather than honey production that is so important to the US industry. If this is the problem, then it is good news for home beekeepers as virtually none of them will have this type of bee.

So, have you weighed the pros and cons? Are you ready to learn about beekeeping? Then the best place to start really is a simple step-by-step guide. For more about beekeeping in the garden check out this informative and helpful guide. now. It will tell you about starting a hive, harvesting honey, caring for the brood, safe handling techniques and dealing with stings. You will even learn basic skills such as lighting and using a smoker to calm your bees (but be careful as too much smoke will have the opposite effect), dealing with stings and even which direction your hives should face.

To get up and running quickly and easily, your really should read "Beekeeping for Beginners".