How To Start Beekeeping For Beginners

Introduction on How to Start Beekeeping for Beginners: The beekeeping method is the maintenance of bee colonies, normally in man-made hives, by humans. The beekeeping process is called Apiculture and it is the science and art of managing honey bees. It is an agro-based activity in a rural area as an integrated farming practice. Beekeeping business gives more income and employment generation and nutritional intake of the rural population. In this article we also covered the below topics about to Start Beekeeping Business;

A Beginner’s Guide to Beekeeping
Best Tips to Start Beekeeping business
Tips to Start Apiculture
Start a beekeeping business for beginners
Is honey bee farming profitable in India
How do I start a honeybee farm
How much does it cost to start a bee farm business in India
How many acres of land is required for the beekeeping business
Is it easy to start beekeeping

A Guide On How to Start Beekeeping for Beginners

Honey bee farming is known as Apiculture. It is also related is to agriculture or is part of the agriculture sector. It needs less investment of money and laborers with great care of them. Beekeeping business can be a fun and rewarding activity for you, your family, and your friends. Not only does it let you eat fresh honeycomb, but it can benefit your garden through pollination. It can take some time to put together a bee community, but once you do, beekeeping is easy.

Beekeeping is being undertaken by farmers in rural areas. It supplements the income and employment generation and nutritional intake of the rural population. These have been offering services to society through ensured pollination in cross-pollinated crops. Honey Bees have an important role in sustaining plant bio-diversity resulting in environmental stability.

To start beekeeping for beginners needs very little space and labor. Honeybees provide for themselves on a day-to-day basis as wild animals for which we furnish artificial housing. Hive inspections once or twice a week during the spring and fall season take no more than an hour or so per hive.

By promoting the beekeeping business, the quality and yield of crops will be increased through pollination. Farmers do not allow beekeepers to keep bins, as they think that bees will eat all their crops. But let us know that there is no risk of crops being treated by bees, while bees increase the crop yields. The biggest friend of bee crops is an insect and for example, in 1-acre mustard, the pollination of bees can increase the yield from 3 to 4 quintals. The amount of sulfur in mustard oil increases by 10%.

Honeybee Species in India

Some important species of honey bees are given below;

The rock bee, Apis dorsata
The Indian hive bee
The little bee, Apis Florea
Italian bee or European bee, Apis mellifera
Dammer bee or stingless bee

Rock Bee (Apis dorsata) – Rock Bee are ferocious bees that construct a single comb in the open. They shift the place of the colony. Rock bees are difficult to rear and they produce about 36 Kg honey per comb per year. These Rock bees are the largest among the bees described.

Indian hive bee / Asian bee (Apis cerana indica) – Indian honeybee is also called Eastern honeybee. It is a well-known bee species in India. It is an average honey yield of about 6 to 8 kg per colony per year. They are natives of India/Asia. The species is Apis cerana indica and it is also known as an Asiatic honey bee to Eastern honey bee. This honey bee species is used for the commercial production of honey and other substances. The Asian bee is an important pollinating agent for coconut palms. The bees are prone to absconding and swarming and they can survive in mountain or temperate areas having long winters or cold temperature levels. Indian hive bee variety is domesticated species that built multiple parallel combs.

Little bee (Apis florea) – Little bee builds single vertical combs and they produce approximately half a kilo of honey per year per hive.

European bee / Italian bee (Apis mellifera) – Italian bee (Apis mellifera ligustica) is one of the subspecies of A.mellifera. They are bigger compared to other honeybees except for Apis dorsata. The average production per colony is about 25 to 40 kg.

Dammer Bee – The dammar bee is also known as the Indian stingless bee, Tetragonula iridipennis. It is a species of bee belonging to the family Apidae and subfamily Apinae. These bees are much smaller compared to the true honey bees. Stingless bees have importance in the pollination of several food crops. They bite their enemies or intruders. Its honey yield per hive per year is 100 gms.

Suitable Location to Start Beekeeping for Beginners

The selection of a suitable site is also an important task for beekeeping businesses. By selecting a proper and suitable location for the beekeeping business leads to a better result.

Select a location for your bee farm which has a dry atmosphere with no dampness. A high RH level in the atmosphere will restrict the bee flight while collecting honey. A good source of clean water is necessary for quality honey production. Therefore, provide a pure source of water; natural or artificial. Also, trees in your bee farm will provide you with a shady and cool place, which protects you from the wind. Your location must contain at least some old hive to realize the bees, a sympathy toward them. Construct an artificial one from wooden materials. Also, pollen yielding plants are necessary around your bee farm because they directly enhance your honey collection via providing a good source of pollen for the bees and also, minimize their travelling distance for collecting honey. This causes a fast and quality collection of honey. Generally, most backyard beekeepers have 1 to 2 acres of land with 2 or 3 beehives.

The Best Time to Start Beekeeping

In case if you miss this: High Density Coconut Plantation.

Beekeeping Business (pic credit: pixabay)

The best time to order equipment and bees is in the fall or early winter season, for delivery of the bees in spring. The early winter season is an excellent time to take advantage of classes offered by beekeeping associations.

Start With High-Yielding Bees

Honeybee keepers want good honey yield. Though some factors affect the Honey yield, you should also choose good honey bees. To start honey bee farming, you can select bee varieties like Apis Dorsata or the Rock Bee, Apis Indica, and the Indian Bee. These bee varieties are the most common honey bee species in India.

Different Techniques to Start Beekeeping Business

There are different techniques to start a beekeeping business;

Traditional Bee farming – The grass hives are one of the traditional ways of the beekeeping process. It is made of dry grasses in the form of a cylinder or basked. The entry points are provided in both ends of the hive and the grass hives have been used for one year or season. The main traditional beekeeping farming method is fixed comb hives.

Modern bee farming – Topbar hives and vertically stackable hives are used in the modern beekeeping system. It is an accepted system in many countries. This is developing for long years ago and is run by most of the new bee farmers. Rearing Bee in a wooden box is useful as it does not harm the bee eggs are protected by the wooden box. Honey can be simply taken out from the box by the beekeeper. Proper care of the beekeeper with the bees is the main factor that affects honey production. One can easily earn a high profit with low investment in modern bee farming.

Natural Beekeeping – This believes that beehives are weakened by modern beekeeping practices. It is a simple design that retains the concept of having a movable comb without the use of frames or a foundation.

Backyard Beekeeping – Backyard beekeeping is similar or related to natural beekeeping. By using small-scale colonies, it is an attempt to revert to a less industrialized way of honey farming.

Indoor Beekeeping – Nowadays, some beekeepers have started keeping bees indoor. It is done in controlled environment conditions.

Choose Your Hive System for Beekeeping Business

Usually, there are two main systems are used in beekeeping. The first method used in beekeeping is the Langstroth hive. You pull the boxes out to access the bees and harvest honey. Vertically you can add boxes if your bees hive needs more space.

The other system is a top-bar hive. The bee frames are arranged horizontally. The bees make comb without foundation in this bee system. Each bar has comb and honey, is pulled up out of the hive from the top. Make sure you will need to choose which system is right for your needs.

When Should I Start My Hive?

Honeybees are behavior-dependent on climate conditions. Timing for beginning a hive will change depending on your local climate and geography. To learn how others have found success in the beekeeping business, connect with local beekeepers and beekeeping groups specific to your location.

Demand for beehives and bee is on the rise, and it will be too late to get started if you haven’t secured a source for bees by January or February. You will want to be prepared for bees to arrive with all of the equipment ready and hive in place on your property once spring season arrives. You will want to feel confident about the task at hand.

Creating a Safe Beekeeping Environment

How About This: How To Start Flower Garden.

If you want to become a beekeeper, one of the first main steps to consider is where you’ll keep the bees. Bees can thrive in city neighborhoods. Municipalities will keep bees on lots that are less than a fourth of an acre.

Beehives don’t pose a safety threat. Look for a location that has some distance from neighbors and from areas where children and pets play. A nearby water source is important. A shallow pan filled with water, along with rocks on which bees can rest, will help keep bees on the property. The water source can’t dry up or bees will head to nearby watering spots.

How to Start a Beekeeping Business?

Every beekeeping business starts with some basic knowledge. Even if you’re a farmer, you should take information from the Local expert who has to build this business and then make a profit. Here are few steps you could identify to start beekeeping businesses with a small startup.

Step 1) Gather information about professional beekeeper associations to help you to keep your bee colony. Ask about regional bee diseases, other pests that can affect the bees, and general support information for new beekeepers. Know about the locations of existing beehives, and the types of honey produced in your location. So planning is an important part of any business model. Below are the steps on how you would plan it so you can lay out a successful beekeeping business and you can scale it very drastically.

There are no restrictions on beekeeping within your municipal limits to visit the local zoning office.
If it’s a problem with the residence homeowners’ association, get whatever written permissions are required.
Find the health of your bees and hives.
Work with your beekeepers’ association to refine your hive maintenance methods.
Compare expenses against honey and beeswax income.
Find whether you expand bees supply to facilitate further market development.
Your beekeeping business growth is heavily dependent on the size of land you’ll work. The more space you have and more bees with greater yield.

Step 2) Require some management tips about beekeeping

Beehives need management and good stewardship, which take both time and knowledge. In beekeeping, general maintenance requires periodic inspections during the warm season. The colony clusters and eats through its honey stores in the cold season. During this time inspections are discouraged to keep from releasing precious heat from the beehive. Management time and style will depend on your climate conditions, your hive style, and your particular bees. All colonies are unique, and each beekeeper has a different experience. All beekeepers get stung at some point. For example, a bee might end up in the fold of your clothing, and be unable to get out.

Step 3) Start beekeeping projects in the autumn

Bees’ behavior is entirely dependent on climate conditions. Make sure to consult tips on beekeeping, gather your supplies to build the hive, and find a source for your bees. Introduce your bees to the hive only in the spring season as the early flowers appear. Beginning your project during the autumn months ensures bees can collect nectar and pollen to build a strong hive in the spring and summer seasons.

Step 4) Registered your Business Before the planning Activity

Structuring beekeeping is the first and foremost thing for your successful business. Obtain necessary permits and licenses to start this business. Below are the steps to visualize the beekeeping business model before it gets into its real shape.

Choose a business structure with the help of a Certified Public Accountant experienced with agricultural businesses.
After that, consult with a commercial insurance agent with a strong liability background.
Obtain a business license from the city or county clerk’s office and inquire about other permits.
For the sale of bee-related products contact the state Department of Revenue regarding a sales tax license and consult an agriculture attorney about state beekeeping laws.

Equipment Needed for Beekeeping Business

As the beekeeper, you need to order beekeeping equipment. You can use this beekeeping equipment to maintain the hive and harvest the honey. Beekeeping equipment can be purchased from the town or local city.

Get your equipment;

A hive
Hive frames with a wax foundation,
A one-piece bee suit, gloves for basic personal protection,
A smoker –It is used to calm honey bees,
A hive tool – It helps in the inspection of the hive,
A nucleus or “nuc” of bees and this is a small honey bee colony obtained in June/July, that friendly beekeeping association will help you find some
A feeder is to give the bees a little extra nourishment

Beekeeper protective equipment is;

Light-colored bees mainly suit that doesn’t encourage bees to sting.
A darker-colored hat and face veil- It is to reduce sun glare.
Bee smoker- To blow smoke into the hive to calm the bees so works on the hive.
Bee blower and brush – It is used to move bees away from the honey during harvest time.
Protecting clothes- Shoes, clothes, Bee suit, Gloves, Bee vail, queen catcher, and Feeders.

How Can You Make Beekeeping Business More Profitable?

A few strategies have been implemented to ensure a more profitable business can be given below;

Rent bees for commercial crop pollination
Make and sell different variety of products, including honey, beeswax, lip balm, tinctures, and hand cream
Selling pollen is a great method to increase annual profit
Sell bulk bees or rear queen bees
Donate honey to a local food bank to generate a tax deduction

Tips for Build a Beehive Stand for Beginners

Hive is used to describe an artificial or man-made structure to house a honey bee nest. Beehives serve many purposes like the production of honey, pollination of nearby crops, and trying to mitigate the effects of colony collapse disorder.

Construct a hive stand

Firstly, purchase a hive stand or build one with concrete blocks to keep the hive off of the ground. Measure to ensure that the beehives are at least 18 inches off of the ground. This can protect them from critters such as skunks or raccoons and then make it easier to check the hives. Also, it protects your back from having to lift heavy hives.

Get hive tools

Having basic protective clothing and tools can help you maintain a bee colony and protect yourself. Get the following hive tools to wear while beekeeping;

Bee suit with gloves
Smoker to calm the bees if you are working in the hive
Hive tool, which is a mini pry bar used in beekeeping
Placing hives in the optimal location
Location fundamentals for your beehives

Ideal hive location

The ideal hive location has easy access and you can tend to your hives, good drainage (so the bees don’t get wet), and a nearby water source for the bees, dappled sunlight, and minimal wind. Keep in mind that fulfilling all of these criteria could not always be possible. Do the best you can follow these basic guidelines;

Place your hive in a southeast direction so that bees get an early morning wake-up call.
Position your hive so that it’s simply accessible come honey harvest time.

Put the hive in dappled sunlight. Direct sun all day long causes the hives to get very hot in the summer season. To regulate the hive’s temperature levels, the bees will spend valuable time trying. Place the hive absolutely level from side to side, with the front of the hive lower than the rear.

Conditions Required for Beekeeping Business for Beginners

Expose your hive to the morning sun and put a hive in an area that gets sun in the mornings. This ensures that bees get out of their hive early to forage for pollen. Place the hive in a place that gets the full sun if you live in cooler climate conditions. Put the hive in a place with afternoon shade if you live in warmer climate conditions.

Make sure, space your hives at least one body width apart. You can easily walk between them without grazing yourself set the beehives. Spacing hives comfortably apart will allow you greater movement while you work. Also, it minimizes the risk that bees perceive your presence as a threat.

Elevating a beehive off the ground can be useful in many ways;

1. It stops the beehive floor from coming with the damp ground. Then, this will prolong the structural life of the hive and cut down on some issues like mold and fungi issues.

2. Elevating can help to prevent predators from attacking the hive. Therefore, that crawling insects are less likely to reach the structure.

3. It allows the bee easy access to their hive entrance. This stand has only two legs which means less contact with the ground. Therefore, it can be made from recycled materials and can be painted to last longer.

Tips for to Start Beekeeping for Beginners

Apiculture has its own set of challenges. Some of the conditions for the beekeeping business in India are described below.

Study All About Bees

There are lots of books on beekeeping, and learning about these sweet little insects can help you start your hives off on the right foot.

Learn How Bees Make Honey

Start ordering supplies, and understand exactly how a hive works. Bees make nests in nature and then bring the nectar back to the hive, where it slowly becomes honey.

Learn How to Set Up Your Beehive

To keep bees, you want a beehive. As a backyard beekeeper, you will provide a man-made hive for bees so you can help maintain the colony and easily harvest the honey. There are several choices available for the backyard or larger-scale beekeeper. Langstroth and top-bar hives are the commonly found types.

Keep Your Bees Healthy and Happy

Month by month, season by season, honeybees need ongoing care. But they don’t need a huge time investment. Watching hive activity can be relaxing.

Beekeeping Knowledge

This is one of the most important steps. The growers gain some knowledge on the beekeeping business, bee-human relations, and sting management, etc. Also, it is advisable to obtain training from the local beekeeping authority. Government organizations training farmers in beekeeping business like National Bee Board under the Agriculture Department and Central Bee Research Training Institute. Also, it is advisable to work with local farmers before starting beekeeping since it provides hands-on experience and the latest apiculture information. Once adequate experience is gained the next step is to plan the beekeeping. For this, it is essential to decide on the type of bee, equipment to be used and last but not the least-place of marketing.

Beekeeping Business Cost in India

Make sure it is better to begin the beekeeping on a little scale and make it to the expansive scale inside a traverse of a few years. You can begin your particular beekeeping business with Rs.2,25,000. Commercial Honey Bee Equipment costs approximately 5000 to 7000 rupees.

Best time for Beekeeping Business in India

The best time for Beekeeping Business in India is August to September. If you begin Beekeeping Business in India in these months, you could gain more Profit and Success.

Loan and Subsidies to Start Beekeeping for Beginners

The government is providing full support to the people who are new to the beekeeping business. Some boards are providing help for this beekeeping business.

NBB (National Honey Bee Board) is one of the most supportive boards in this field. You can get the benefit of this subsidy with only a 5% investment from your side. Also, the government is providing support in the marketing of honey, which is one of the most important and difficult stages of beekeeping.

For commercial beekeeping business in India, IDBI Bank is providing a loan known as Beekeeping Madhu Makshika Palan. This IDBI bank is proving loans to individual farmers and non-farmers. And SHGs, NGOs can apply for this loan and provide loans for setting up units for honey production.

You can get a subsidy for this loan from governmental bodies that include KVIC, KVIB, and DRDA. You will have to pay this loan back within 5 to 7 years. You can pay this loan in quarterly or half-yearly installments. For this beekeeping loan, IDBI bank is giving an 11-month gestation period.

Commonly Asked Questions about to Start Beekeeping for Beginners

How close to a house can you keep a beehive?

It is important to think about how neighbors use their yard, so it is not a good idea to put a beehive directly on a property line. Instead, place your hives 10 feet or more from the property line.

What is the best time to start beekeeping?

The best time to start your hive is in the spring so that the colony you begin with has time to build up, lay brood or baby bees, increase in number, and then store honey before the winter sets in.

What is the purpose of beekeeping?

Beekeeping business is the practice of intentional maintenance of honeybee hives by humans. A beekeeper can keep bees to collect honey and beeswax or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers.

Why is beekeeping so popular?

People have started beekeeping as a hobby of farming. Beekeepers sell their honey, honeycomb, and beeswax products for extra income. Consuming bee’s honey is a great way to combat seasonal allergies and boost your immune system.

Should beehives be in sun or shade?

The hive must be placed in the early morning sun and this gets the bees out of their hive earlier in the day to forage. However in places with warmer climate conditions, hives should receive some afternoon shade.

Can I start a beehive in my backyard?

If you live in an urban region, you might believe that starting a beehive is impossible. But it’s not. The most suitable sites for bees are urban rooftops and suburban backyards. Do some research and planning before ordering bees.

1 COMMENT

Apsar Shareef June 12, 2023 At 8:31 am

Sir, I want to start a honey bee keeping unit. Please help me how to get a subsidised loan
Please reply
Thank you