Bee keeping is a great hobby that will allow you to reap some great rewards from it. This is how we get the raw honey that many people like to have with a various number of foods or drinks and even in some medicine. Honey is not the only reward that we can receive from bee keeping. We can also obtain bee wax and bee pollen that are used in many different types of items that we use on an everyday basis.




One of the first things that you want to consider when thinking of bee keeping is whether you or any member of your family is allergic to bees. If the answer is no, then you can go ahead and start your new hobby. This is a very important question as many people are so allergic that it can place them in the hospital or even become fatal if stung.



Getting a started in bee keeping, you do not need to spend a lot of money. You can start your hobby with one hive for around $300 dollars. This is plenty for you to get started with. If you wish, you can expand later and purchase more hives and bees to keep your hobby flourishing. You also do not need a lot of space to have as your hobby area. You want to choose an area somewhere in your yard but far enough from your home that you feel comfortable with. One thing to consider is if you are permitted to keep bees in your local area. Some areas may have laws or ordinances against it.



Now, where to get the bees from? There are three ways for you to obtain the bees that you need. You may get them from an existing colony, a nucleus, or a swarm. Of these three methods, the one that will cost you the most is that of obtaining an existing colony. This can usually be done by purchasing them from established beekeepers and supply stores. A nucleus is where a queen bee and several hundred worker bees have left a hive to form their own colony. Obtaining a swarm of bees is by far the most dangerous of the three methods but is also the cheapest. To get swarm you must first locate it. Hives are usually found hanging from the branches of trees. Once you have located a hive, place a box below the hive and shake the branch firmly until the hive falls inside. When you have done this, turn the box upside down and place a stick under the box to allow any scout bees to get back to the hive. The scout bees are the ones that search the area for suitable homes for the colony.



Now that we have our hives and the bees, we can start our hobby of bee keeping. There are many techniques that are used for handling bees and retrieving raw honey. It is recommended that you research and know what to do before going headfirst. Providing honey and bee's wax for people that need it is a very rewarding sensation and is a great hobby for anyone that can handle it.



To learn more about modern bee keeping equipment and to extract raw honey with out disturbing Bee colony visit http://www.beekeepingtoday.com



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