Beekeeping Central

So, you are interested in becoming a beekeeper? Let me be the first to welcome you to this fascinating hobby! The purpose of my Beekeeping Central is to, first and foremost, give an overview of the equipment needed to get you started. Second, I will provide you with a few critical elements of beekeeping to aid you in keeping your colony active and productive.

Beginning beekeepers, naturally, want to be held by the hand and told when and where to do things. That is not always possible. You are going to need to rely on books to guide you through the process. If you are lucky, you may find an experienced beekeeper that will allow you to visit their apiary. The knowledge that you will gain will be well worth the time you spend with the veteran beekeeper.

One thing to keep in mind, however, that you will not become an accomplished beekeeper overnight. Beekeeping is not a simple hobby, but it is rewarding. It can take up to five years before you start to feel that you are mastering the art of beekeeping. Even the most experienced beekeepers know that you never learn all there is to know. You will continue to learn new ways every season. The most critical aspect in all of this is that you should make some attempt at learning the basics before you ever handle a hive of your own. That is where this page comes in. It will give you the basics without diving too deep into the craft.

Below you will find a list of the basic things you will need to start your hive.

  • Hive(s)
Matthew Davies image of a beekeeper maintaining their beehive.
  • Frames
Matthew Davies image of a bee frame
  • Smoker
Matthew Davies Image of a bee smoker
  • Hive Tools
Matthew Davies image of hive tools
  • Queen Catcher
Matthew Davies image of a bee catcher.
  • Bee Suit
Matthew Davies image of a bee suit.
  • Gloves
Matthew Davies image of beekeeping gloves.
  • Shoes/Boots
Matthew Davies image of beekeeping boots
  • Essential Oils
Matthew Davies image of essential oils.
  • Feeders
Matthew Davies image of a bee feeder
  • Sugar
Matthew Davies image of a block of sugar for bees.
  • Queen Excluder
Matthew Davies image of a queen excluder.
  • Queen Marker
Matthew Davies image of a queen marker.
  • Bees
Matthew Davies image of bees.
  • The Queen
Matthew Davies image of a queen bee.