:Craft: Beginning Beekeeping

This time of year I get lots of questions about how to start a hive.  I have found many good instructional videos on the internet and so there really is no need for me to create a new set of instructions here on this blog.  I may do so at some time, but it will just be to create something that satisfies my particular tastes in the video production realm.  The content is already out there in abundance.

I'm going to start with a listing on YouTube, by a survivalist group calling themselves delta69alpha and then later switching over to another location on YouTube called "The Survival Report."  It's amazing to me, sometimes, how much survivalists have in common with Mennonites.  Trying to be as self-sufficient as possible, but with AK's and AR's.  Well there is no end of the world material in their videos here, just very good demonstration on how to start a brand new Langstroth style hive.

Here's a playlist that will go through them in sequence, or you can click on them one by one below:  http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B7AC159256F8D0C0

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxJv6zuf-DE
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI8q3JOiruo
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0b5moDaOLI
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfHDShghtnA
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNxVMnLDMrQ
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhy841gHgIg
Part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnPs-9FDAIA
Part 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7vFpAc2q-0
Part 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHompowLpQk
Part 10:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtwG2C2kKug

Another video demonstration comes from the University of Georgia, called "A year in the life of an apiary," and is hosted by entomologist, Keith Delaplane, PhD.  It's an EXCELLENT look into beginning beekeeping, but what I really hope you'll come away with is a better understanding of beekeeper fashion.

Here's a playlist that will go through them in sequence, or you can click on them one by one below: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F838DA0F92666667


Section 1 - History, Building Equipment, Preparing medications
  1.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjrdwXXEtLo
  1.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkRo1ddHdWk
  1.3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yK64y0CtsU
Section 2 - Installing Bees, Medication, Releasing Queens
  2.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psx6sVUWxUc
  2.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivqCYOud0ME
  2.3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy5UmSosQ3Q
  2.4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oudYBjbmD58
Section 3 - Maturing Hives, Migrating Hives
  3.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgHUgNbgnc0
  3.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNxT6E3whU4
  3.3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh7OdZUZTOY
  3.4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogVmNxuZnC4
Section 4 - Housekeeping (requeening), Package Bees, Bee Associations, Periodicals
  4.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db8ncLeytZQ
  4.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmukiN_btGw
  4.3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ9-yzm4Hlc
Section 5 - Diseases & Pests
  5.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd5FUJ1qDAo
  5.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqq4W3WfKK0
  5.3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVcbvV86-Sk
Section 6 - Harvesting, Packaging
  6.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VePfPNsWkUg
  6.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCmuj9J0qdw
  6.3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgRmlyOzKCA
  6.4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rhm4uvkcUs
Section 7 - Overwintering Hives, Second Spring Management
  7.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPh70tTZVuc
  7.2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoSs-NwHoV0
  7.3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so1ovlNWQGQ
  7.4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL9uPmRfL5E

Another kind of hive that has become common is a Kenyan style Top Bar Hive. (TBH)  They are very cheap to make and the idea is basically to have a cavity over which you hang bars of wood that the bees can build honey comb down from.  There's a bit more science to it than that, but it can be as simple as that too, if you're daring enough.  My backyard garden hives are made out of a split wine barrel.  I'll post pictures and a video sometime, but they have some problems, I'll detail then, that a standard TBH doesn't have to deal with; they just look good in the garden is the reason I built them from wine barrels.

Dave's Bees on Vimeo has produced some detailed instructions for building a standard TBH.  There are also free instructions and drawings, that Dave uses, at biobees.com

1: Top Bars - http://vimeo.com/9481171
2: Follower Boards - http://vimeo.com/9773858
3: Legs and Ends - http://vimeo.com/10191861
4: Finish the hive - http://vimeo.com/10367007
5: The Lid - http://vimeo.com/13369237

The Lazy Beekeeper has some discussion on creating TBH as well.  Keep in mind that he is in the south of Texas and makes his hives a bit smaller to avoid comb collapse from hot weather, and his open (screened) bottom may not work as well if left open year round in far northern areas.

Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=8FF4D8EA1389B04B

1: Building TBH - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQIf_sw1DsY
2: Top Bars Pt 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnLpk5hM8SM
3: Top Bars Pt 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f8A_6N96CE