| By :
Val Wilson
For those who enjoy nature and activities in the outdoors, beekeeping is proving to be a regular pastime. Aside from the physical activity involved in taking care of bees and the mental stimulation of learning all there is to know, good beekeepers are rewarded with products such as beeswax and honey. Get comfortable, and let us share with you some additional information regarding the supplies you would need to get started in this great hobby. While some humans may be fearful of buzzing sounds in their garden or by the pool, honey bees actually play a very important role for a healthy environment. Known best for making honey, their daily activities involve the spread of pollen through out the fields amongst thousands to millions of flowers. Imagine we humans trying to do all of that by hand! Our ecosystem relies heavily on their ability to help. As a beekeeping hobbyist, you will be not only be involved in a rewarding activity, but you will be ultimately contributing a positive role to ecology in general. In order to get started, it is necessary to have some standard honey bee supplies. Don't worry too much about where you will find them. In fact, there is a good chance there have been some in your local community all along that you were just unaware of. Many can be found at beekeeping supply stores, but if not there are plenty of online retailers just for this market. 1 - A Beehive Before bringing home your new little living creatures, you need to set up an appropriate place for them to stay. This is where a hive comes into play. There are lots of variants, but basically 2 behive types - the Langstroth and the top bar hive. The Langstroth type is the most common and the one used by commercial beekeepers. For maximum honey production, this is the best type of beehive. But propionents of natural beekeeping often prefer the top bar hive. This is a simpler option, and arguably more akin to natural bee behaviour in the wild, but the bees will have top produce more wax, so will produce less honey. Every pound of beeswax produced by bees 'costs' 8 pounds of lost honey production. Whichever type of beehive you go for, make your choice and stick with it. 2 - Protective clothing for the beekeeper While your bees health and happiness is the most important to getting the best honey results, don't forget about protecting yourself! Wearing the right clothing when approaching your hive is going to make the job a whole lot easier. An entire beekeeping suit is in order. This is specially made to protect the body against stings and cover as much of you as possible. Try not to skimp as the cheaper suits may very well be less protective. Be sure to accessorize properly with the hat, veil, and gloves. 3 - A Smoker This may be the only time someone agrees that smoking is a good thing. Beekeepers use a smoker to calm the bees and make the hive more approachable. On regular occasions you will need to go in and open your hive as part of the management of your bees, so a smoker is essential - especially for beginner beekeepers. Beyond these physical supplies, you will want to stock up on your knowledge. Grab a complete guide on bee colony care. It will help you answer questions as they come up as well as giving you some more detailed step by step help. Finding the right guide can really help you turn this hobby into a big success.
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