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Are Bees For Me?(Mark Johns, 2006)
Why Do I Want to Keep Bees? Hobby Pollination Hive Products (honey, wax, pollen,
propolis)
Hobby Relaxation – if you’re a calm type to begin
with… Excitement – yes, you will get stung. I just think bees are cool – me too!
Pollination Add pollinators to environment in general
Benefits the surrounding ecology Pollinate my crops in particular
Bees concentrate on one nectar source Hive sends out scout bees May ignore your crop if large nectar source is
available (i.e. blackberries in bloom)
Pollination (cont’) Consider mason bees
Especially good for orchards Cheap and easy to maintain
Pollination (cont’) Consider keeping hives for a beekeeper
Cheaper - small scale beekeeper will usually just want honey
Less time – beekeeper performs all maintenance
Hive Products Honey
Variable yields – 40 to 100 lbs/hive Depends on amount of rainfall, temperature,
hive strength Beeswax
Small yield from honey comb cappings Pollen
Gathering pollen can weaken hive
Hive Products Propolis
Tree sap collected by bees Used by bees to patch small holes/cracks in
hive that might harbor bacteria or pests
Time Expenditure Weekend setting up site and new hives
Additional 1–2 hours installing bees Weekly visit: 2–3 hours (spring/summer of
first year) Beekeeper’s club meetings: 3-4 hours
month Education: Lots of hours reading books,
internet beekeeping sites, beekeeper’s club
Time Expenditure (cont’) Most time spent
Spring – installing bees, medicating, feeding, adding honey supers
Summer – mite checks, general health, feeding, adding honey supers
Fall – mite checks, medicating, general health, feeding, honey supers, extracting honey
Cost Expenditure $200 - $400 initial cost for two hives and
basic equipment Two hives are better than one Can compare hives for health Can swap frames between strong and weak
hives $50.00 annual maintenance (mostly
medications)
Basic Equipment Buy new – don’t inherit problems (mites,
disease) Local supplier or mail order?
Mail order – may not be cheaper after shipping
Local supplier provides additional source of information, beekeeping classes
The BEEZ NEEZ Apiary Supply, Snohomish
Basic Equipment (cont’) Epi Pen – insurance against anaphylactic
shock (requires a prescription) $30.00 Betterbee Inc. – ($225.00 assembled)
2 hive bodies w/frames 2 medium honey supers w/frames top cover inner cover bottom board w/entrance reducer
Basic Equipment (cont’) hive tool smoker beekeeping book leather gloves helmet & veil (no bee suit) varroa mite screen/monitoring tray
Basic Equipment (cont’) Additional hive ($60.95 assembled)
single hive body (and no supers) top cover inner cover bottom board w/ entrance reducer
Additional honey supers ($50 - $60) State hive registration fee ($10-$15)
Basic Equipment (cont’) Bee suit (optional) $50.00 - $150.00
Can use “light-colored” work clothes Medication (annual)
Varroa mite - $20.00/hive (ApiLife VAR) Tracheal mite – $5.00/hive (Menthol) Nosema virus - $10.00 (Fumagilin-B) Wax moths – can bag and freeze supers
Cost of Bees 3 lb. Package of bees with queen
$70.00 to $90.00 per package Can order bees from BEEZ NEEZ Apiary
Supply (2005 price $78.00) Order bees by March for mid-April delivery
Other Equipment Sugar water feeders - $25.00
May need to subsidize bees for winter Honey extractor (hobbyist): $225 - $350
Try to borrow one Electric fence - $100
Local bears, deer, skunks
Bear Damage
Still Want to Keep Bees? Join a Beekeeper’s Association
Education and camaraderie Helps support university research (WSU)
Annual dues ($15.00)
Washington State Beekeeper’s Assoc. www.wasba.org
Northwest District Beekeeper’s Assoc. www.nwdba.org (meets 2nd Tuesday)
Other Beekeeping Resources Books
Beekeeping for Dummies, Blackiston, 2002 First Lessons in Beekeeping, Dadant Press The Hive and the Honey Bee, Dadant The A,B,C's and X,Y,Z's of Beekeeping, A.I.
Root Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants,
McGregor
Other Beekeeping Resources Internet
BeeSource.com - www.beesource.com Links to other beekeeping sites page Discussion groups Plans for building equipment
Mason Bees –www.knoxcellars.com
Other Beekeeping Resources Suppliers
The BEEZ NEEZ Apiary Supply, 403 Maple Ave Suite A, Snohomish, WA, 98290-2562, 360-568-2191, www.beezneezapiary.com
Betterbee, Inc., www.betterbee.com Dadant & Sons, Inc., www.dadant.com Mann Lake Ltd., www.mannlakeltd.com
Have Fun and Good Luck!