INTRODUCTION

Bee farming is a highly sustainable practice that has helped improve the agricultural aspects and
ecosystem on Earth. Today, more people are becoming interested in protecting and taking care of bees,
thus helping increase the population of bees and the production of honey around the globe. Honeybees
are a great way to help pollinate plants and even their honeycomb is used to make beeswax for
cosmetic products. Not to mention, it produces healthy sweeteners called honey that is used as a health
food for its nutritional benefits. Since honey bees are so important, bee farming practices need to be
given enough attention and improve them.

Thankfully, there are some innovative ways by using smart technologies that can reduce the harmful
effects of intensive farming practices on bee farming and create a more positive approach to protecting
bees.

Smart technologies available right now that can positively impact bee farming practices

Flow Hive

Flow hive is an award-winning beekeeping innovation that is trending among beekeepers across the
world. This technology is designed to help honey extraction in a less harmful way and pours each batch
directly into a jar. The great thing about this flow hive device is that you wouldn’t need to open the
hives to harvest honey, thus making honey extraction easier and serving as a gentler alternative. So the
intricately-designed bee house extracts fresh honey from the hive without any mess. But of course, this
innovative beekeeping equipment comes at a high price, but it’s worth the investment.

However, some people would rather stick to the traditional equipment of extracting honey . Thus, you
could invest in equipment such as honey strainers, uncapping forks, beekeeping rotating scrapers, and
honey extractors to ensure that there is little to no damage done to your hives.

Beebot

If you’re an amateur beekeeper who finds it hard to monitor your beehive health, then the Beebot is a
perfect way to help you with this problem. Beebot is a smart sensor gadget that helps beekeepers track
the temperature in hives and humidity and identify the frequency of the bee buzzing, which could help
detect problems inside each hive. Further, it makes beekeepers’ jobs easy since this device will alert you
through your connected gadgets whenever needed.
This innovation positively impacts the bee farming experience through your gadgets such as phones,
computers, or tablets – making it very accessible wherever you are. It allows timely intervention to
prevent any severe damage or hive losses because it could spot early signs of harmful problems.

uHive

Some beekeepers lose their bees because they cannot maintain and provide adequate attention to
them. The uHive tech allows you to monitor the bee movement and the hive’s state to help alert
beekeepers if there are some situations that require their attention. Not to mention, it’s a great way to
impart knowledge to scientists around the globe. With every use, the tech sends info that can help with
scientific studies to scientists who aim to improve the quality of life of bees and to help save and protect
them.

Beehome

The global bee population has been at risk for a long time due to colony collapse and pesticide
poisoning. Luckily, smart technologies such as Beehome are helping in increasing the pollination and
honey production of bees so that the bee population doesn’t go at risk. Beehome positively impacts bee
farming practices by allowing beekeepers to monitor and watch their hives in real time. It is designed
with a tracker that sees bee activities inside a hive every day for 24 hours. Not to mention, the AI
technology of this device allows beekeepers to identify the urgent needs that need to be addressed
immediately in real-time.

Additionally, through this device, providing immediate treatment and preventing further damage could
all be done easily. Beekeepers can control various factors that may harm both the bees and hives when
they are away, like temperature changes, the use of pesticides, and humidity.

Gobuzzr

Gobuzzr is an IoT-based beehive surveillance device that monitors statistical information like weight,
temperature, and humidity. It is fixed to the bottom of a beehive and sends notifications to beekeepers
about any change to the conditions affecting the hive. The collected information will be aggregated and
will be sent to the owner’s device at regular intervals of time. The beehive app device shares the
accurate location of the hive, so that the keepers can easily find it and conduct an in-person inspection if
required. The real-time data collected and shared by the IoT device provides the beekeepers with the in-
depth information required to take any decision regarding the location and the performance of the hive,
to ensure maximum profit while maintaining a healthy bee colony.

Through these new software and technologies, beekeepers are able to efficiently monitor and take care
of their bee hives. Aside from monitoring, efficient harvesting and sustainably less-damaging procedures
are done when handling bees and honey. Hope these details help you in guiding you to choosing the
right technology for enhancing your bee farming experience.
Beekeeping 101

Although the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) is only 5 mm long, it is one of the most feared bee
parasites because with a heavy infestation, it can destroy an entire colony within a very short time.
Compared to the African subspecies, which have developed control mechanisms as the original host of
the hive beetle, the European subspecies are unlikely to achieve this. New Zealand is one of the
countries lucky not to have this pest. The small hive beetle (Aethina tumida) came originally from Africa,
south of the Sahara. Since 1998, it has been unintentionally introduced to the United States, Canada,
Mexico, Jamaica, Australia and Cuba, and has spread and caused tremendous damage there. In 2004,
the beetle was first discovered in Europe, in Portugal, during delivery of queen bees and it was
successfully destroyed. Unfortunately, the small hive beetle reached Italy in 2014 and has rapidly spread
there ever since.

In its original homeland of Africa, the small hive beetle is considered a rather harmless pest. African
honey bees have developed defence mechanisms. Compared to their European cousins, they find
infested brood cells faster and clean their stock more thoroughly, before they swarm. This takes away
the bug’s basis for nutrition and multiplication. In addition, the African honey bees confine the small
hive beetle in a stable prison that they built from the collected bee glue, the so-called propolis. Even the
guard bee is placed there to monitor the enemy. This is how the honey bees fight the voracious beetle,
however, the beetle has also learned from that: The beetle imitates the behaviour of begging bees to
obtain food, which allows it to survive in its prison for up to two months. Luckily, it cannot mate and
multiply under these conditions.

What does the small hive beetle look like?

The SHB is a brown-black, compact beetle measuring 0.5cm long. It sports two clubbed antennae, six
legs, and a distinct separation between the thorax and abdomen.

How does the small hive beetle infect the hive?

The SHB is capable of flying up to 20 kilometres, meaning it can travel to a new hive rather fast. This
makes it especially dangerous and a quick multiplier. The way SHB infecs a hive is rather cunning. The
beetles have evolved to avoid the bees’ attack instinct by imitating the behaviour of bees begging for
food.An adult SHB can survive for two weeks without food and water, 50 days eating used comb and
many months on fruit. If the honeybees are kind enough to let it stay, it can survive up to two months in
the hive unnoticed by the colony.

After successfully entering the hive, the SHB lays its eggs in a safe place, usually an area that cannot be
accessed by the bees. These eggs hatch larvae after two to six days. The larvae feed on honey, beeswax
and pollen, which very quickly destroys the structure of the comb. Altering the delicate comb structure
results in honey spoilage, leaving the colony and beekeeper without honey. Some bee colonies even
leave the infested hive in an emergency swarm. The pupation of the beetle takes about 3-4 weeks and
takes place in the soil below or near the hive. Since the pupation is highly dependent on the
temperature and humidity of the soil, the duration can vary significantly.

The ultimate guide to beekeeping for beginners

Beekeeping is a wonderfully rewarding and relaxing pastime – not to mention the delicious honey. I
Beekeeping is becoming an increasingly popular pastime. The health (and taste) benefits of natural
honey, the relaxing qualities of caring for your swarm, and the opportunity to undertake this activity in
the wonderful outdoors act as a draw for many budding gardeners and country folk.

How to keep bees: where to start

You don’t need much space to keep bees but what you do need is plenty for them to forage on.
Ironically, suburban allotments, rooftop gardens and city-centre parks often provide access to a richer
variety of flowers and plants than some of our countryside, with its swathes of mono-culture crops.
Wherever you live, if you want to start beekeeping, go on a course. Not only is the learning curve huge
fun but you’ll discover a network of bee-lovers, too. The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) has a
comprehensive list of courses and will also point you in the right direction in terms of kit supplies,
equipment for sale and where to find a healthy bee colony.

Where to buy bees

Some BBKA local groups have a try-before-you-buy scheme, which lets you borrow a hive and bees for a
short period under the supervision of an experienced keeper. If all goes well and you like the process,
you can then buy the hive and bees – now nicely settled – directly from the association. You can also ask
your local group if there are bees for sale nearby or if they know of any bee auctions, usually held in
May and June. Check the classified pages of magazines such as BeeCraft or use a mail-order company
such as Thorne or National Bee Supplies. Most importantly, make sure they are gentle: bees differ
drastically in temperament and it's best to start with docile ones. Explain you're a beginner and most
breeders will find you an easy colony.

Insect, Honeybee, Bee, Pollinator, Beehive, Membrane-winged insect, Invertebrate, Butterfly, Organism,
Arthropod, pinterest

If you’ve got a corner of land or garden spare, consider renting it out to a beekeeper. Your local BBKA
group will often pair ‘wannabees’ and beekeepers together, or you might be able to arrange something
through an online beekeeping or smallholding forum. You could also advertise your land through a
community noticeboard or parish council newsletter. If you live in the city or suburbs, Urban Bees allows
you to mark a map with your location and will hopefully match you with a nearby beekeeper. Most
contracts between beekeeper and landowner are informal, while ‘rent’ is typically a jar of honey per
hive per year. Not all land is suitable for beehives – keepers look for somewhere accessible by vehicle,
sunny, sheltered and with lots to forage on locally.
What equipment do I need to start beekeeping?

In addition to your bees, you’ll need a beekeeping suit, plus gloves, smoker and a hive tool. When it
comes to clothing, go for a maximum protection to avoid stings. An all-in-one suit with veil, together
with a good pair of gloves and stout wellies will cost less than £150. You'll need a 'smoker' to puff smoke
round the hive as you work (bees link it with forest fires and, thinking their home is in danger
concentrate on eating their previous honey leaving you free to rummage in the hive) and a hive tool to
prise apart the various.

If you don’t go through the BBKA, National Bee Supplies has starter kits for around £500, which include
the hive and clothing. In addition, you’ll need to budget around £250 for a five-frame nucleus of bees
and between £150-£500 for a honey extractor. A copy of the now-classic Bees at the Bottom of the
Garden by Alan Campion makes perfect bedtime reading for bee-ginners.

How to look after bees

You can go away without worrying as bees can survive without human input. In spring, when the
weather warms up, open your hives for a thorough inspection; check your queen is laying eggs, make
sure there are still enough honey stores and give the hive a good clean, scraping away winter debris,
removing dead bees and cobwebs and replacing old broken frames. Until about July the colony will be
growing rapidly and can reach up to 50,000 so you'll need to check weekly to ensure there is room for
egg-laying and honey storing, otherwise the bees may swarm. This is when the queen, sensing that
space is running out, leaves the hive with half the worker bees to form another colony. Though the bees
left behind will survive (they will sense they are queen-less and feed one of the larvae with Royal Jelly to
create a new one), you will have lost half your workforce and your honey will be reduced.

How to tell the queen bee apart in a colony

A colony of bees contains a single queen, a few hundred male bees or drones and up to 50,000 female
worker bees, which are the common honeybees you see in your garden. The queen is larger than a
worker and can live up to three years. She will lay more than half a million eggs. Shortly after hatching,
she makes a maiden flight, mates with six or seven drones (who will subsequently die), and returns to
the hive where all her needs are met by worker bees.

How to collect honey

Beekeepers rely on the fact that bees tend to produce more honey than they need. To get through the
winter, honeybees make and store between 10kg-30kg in the hive, but need only about 10kg to survive.
The skill of the beekeeper is to know how much honey to take and, crucially, how much to leave to keep
the colony happy. In August, you can collect your honey, as by then most flowers will have bloomed
(unless you live near heather moors, as heather flowers later). In a good summer, you should harvest
about 40lbs. In autumn you need to place the 'stolen' honey by feeding your bees a sugar solution.
Then, having protected the hive against unwelcome visitors such as woodpeckers and mice, you can
shut up shop for the winter. If you want to sell your honey, there are a number of rules and regulations
you’ll need to abide by, including UK food safety legislation and honey labelling. The British Beekeepers
Association has an excellent guide here.

The process of making honey

The process of making honey lasts approximately 45 days, where each bee develops a specific function.
In this way, through teamwork, the correct development of the process is guaranteed, and therefore the
creation of a high quality honey. Here we show you what this process consists of.

How is the process of making honey?

Extraction of nectar from flowers. The process of making honey begins with the collection of nectar from
the flowers. In this step, the adult worker bees, that is, with at least 21 days, fly over the flowers to
extract the nectar. To obtain the nectar, rich in sugars, the bees suck the flowers with their long
tongues. In this way, when beekeepers want to obtain honeys from certain flowers, what they do is
place the hives next to the flowers that they want to pollinate. Thus, acacia honey, rosemary, etc. is
made.

Bees deposit nectar in their hives

Once the nectar has been extracted from the flowers, the honey-making process continues when the
bees ingest the nectar and store it in their abdomen, called the “honey crop”. Once ingested, bees
modify the pH of the honey by combining it with enzymes. Later, the bees return to the hive, where the
honey-making process continues. There, they pass the nectar to other younger worker bees, which
extract and break down the nectar through various enzymatic digestions into simpler compounds, rich
mainly in fructose and glucose. This explains the sweet honey flavor and its great caloric intake. In this
way, the bees chew this nectar for about half an hour, until the humidity of the nectar goes from 70% to
20%. Likewise, these enzymes modify the pH of the honey, reaching around 3.9%, that is, it is a very
acidic product.

Cell sealing

Once the honey is deposited in the hive, the honey-making process continues with the elimination of
excess moisture in the hive. To do this, bees use their wings to fan the cells and thus avoid excess
moisture from the sucked nectar. In this way, they manage to extract up to 80% of the excess water.
Later, to guarantee the correct conservation of the honey, the bees seal the cells. In this way, honey can
be preserved for many years.

Completion of the process of making honey.

The process of making honey concludes when, over time, the nectar created binds with enzymes and
wax; thus obtaining the honey its characteristic sweet flavor.bTo remove any remaining wax that may
exist, after collecting the product, beekeepers leave it in decanting for a few days. After resting for a few
days, the product is filtered and packaged. On the other hand, in the case of raw honey, after resting for
a few days, the honey is packaged directly. That is, the product is not filtered.

How Do Bees Make Honey?

Bugs and insects are known for lots of different things. Spiders are known for spinning webs, ants are
known for “marching” one by one, termites are known for eating wood and bees are known for making
sweet and delicious honey. Have you ever wondered how bees make honey though? Although there are
about 20,000 different species of bees in the world, only the honeybee makes the kind of honey we are
used to eating. These bees produce honey to feed themselves, which makes them different from
creatures that eat things like fruits, nuts and other insects. Honeybees make honey as a way of storing
and saving food for colder months when they are not able to leave their hive as often and there are not
as many flowers to gather food from.

You might be wondering, if honeybees make honey to feed themselves, is it ok for humans to take it and
eat it, too? The answer is yes, since these bees actually make about two to three times more honey each
year than they need to survive the winter. Honeybees live together in colonies which can consist of
around 60,000 bees. In fact, a single honeybee will only create about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey it its
entire life! That is not even enough to sweeten a cup of tea!

Bee Honey Making Process: Step-by-Step

When the weather gets warmer and flowers start to bloom, honeybees will leave their hives in search of
flowers. The actual process for making honey goes like this:

Once they find a flower, they will use their long tongue like a straw to suck nectar, a sugary juice, out of
the plant.

The nectar is stored in a second stomach, also known as the “honey stomach.”

After they have filled up their second stomach, the bees will return to their hive and start to pass the
nectar through their mouths to other bees.

These bees will chew on the nectar for about 30 minutes.

Then they pass it along to another bee!

As the nectar is passed from bee to bee, it is turned into honey.

Once the nectar becomes honey, the honeybees will store it in honeycomb cells, which act as little jars
made of wax.

The bees then flap their wings over the honey to make it thicker and more like syrup instead of sweet
juice.

Once the honey is ready, the bees will seal the cell using a wax lid to store it for later.

At this point, skilled beekeepers can take some of the finished honey from the hive, taking care to not
harm or damage the colony.

Honeybees create delicious honey and help pollinate flowers to keep them alive. And while it’s
interesting to see how bees make honey, they can also sting if they feel threatened. If you see a
honeybee or hive, it is important to observe it from a safe distance and with help from a grown-up, like a
parent or teacher.

How do bees make honey?

Honey is bees’ way of preserving their food so they have something to eat when there aren’t many
flowers in bloom. Honey can be stored in the hive and consumed when needed. If bees stored nectar
without turning it into honey first, it would ferment.

What is honey made of?

Bees eat two types of food, both of which come from flowers. Pollen is their protein source, and nectar
is their carbohydrate. Nectar is a sugary liquid produced by plants, with sucrose being the main sugar.
Enzymes in the bees' honey stomachs break this down into the simpler sugars glucose and fructose.
Honey also contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and compounds from the flowers. The
unique flavors, fragrances and colors of different kinds of honey depend on the type of plants the nectar
comes from.

How honey is made

Ever wanted to harvest your own delicious honey, straight from a beehive in your backyard? With Flow
Hive’s starter beehive kit, you get to experience the wonderful range of flavors created from the plants
in your neighborhood.

Sweet honey facts

A single bee will create about one 12th of a teaspoon (0.8g) of honey during her lifetime.

It takes 2 million flower visits for a honeybee colony to produce 500g (1lb) of honey.

Honey is not a uniform substance - it ranges in color from almost transparent to very dark.

There are as many different flavors of honey as there are flowering plants for bees to forage on.

Honey has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and probiotic properties. If stored correctly, honey never
goes off.

What do bees do with honey?

Honey is bee food - when there’s plenty of nectar to be had, a colony will produce enough to store.
During periods when there are not a lot of flowers in bloom or the bees can’t get out to forage due to
bad weather, they’ll use up the stored honey. Coming up to winter, bees need to have plenty of honey
stored to feed on and keep warm through the winter months. Bees will gorge on honey before
swarming. This gives them the energy needed to build a new nest. So next time you’re enjoying some
tasty honey, save a thought for these industrious insects and the incredible teamwork it takes to make
honey.

Want to learn more and help save bees?

Check out our online course at TheBeekeeper.org. The course is full of fascinating videos about bees and
is available with a 30-day free trial. And what’s more, the profits go towards protecting all pollinators,
including honeybees. If you want to start harvesting your own honey, then Flow Hive has you covered.
Our revolutionary harvesting system allows you to collect honey from the hive without disturbing the
bees. We stock a range of beehives, equipment and have special bundle offers that include everything
you need to get started. We also offer lots of support and helpful resources for beginner beekeepers.

Consider Your Environment

In New York City, over 200 hives have been registered since the ban on private beekeeping was lifted in
2010. The New York City Beekeepers Association notes that an area's "carrying capacity" should factor
into a beekeeper's decision to raise a hive in a given location, but there's no regulation as to how many
hives can fall within a certain space. So consider your surroundings: do you live by a large park teeming
with flowers like New York's Prospect, Central, and Fort Tryon parks? When you walk through those
parks, do you see lots of bees at work? If you live in an urban area adjacent to or within flying distance
of a park teeming with pollen-producing plants (not all plants are food for bees), chances are your
colony will have plenty to forage for. If all you see around you is concrete and steel, question your desire
for your own bees.

Yes, bees can travel for what they need. But just like us, bees can tire out from long commutes, and they
might lose their competitive edge to other colonies. Putting bees through that much work isn't that fair
to the tiny workers, and in dense city areas with limited flora, beekeepers are noting how the rise of
urban beekeeping diminishes their hives' honey production. That said, if you've covered your rooftop
with flowering plants or live in a suburban or rural area with plenty of happily growing things, you're
well on your way to a healthy hive. If you also have enough space for a small body of water, a birdbath,
or even a few buckets for bees to drink from, you're even closer. And if you have propolis-producing
trees around for bees to harvest and patch up their hive, and at least a ten-foot flying path for which
they can get in and out of their home, you're golden.

It doesn't take a crazy amount of equipment to house and harvest, but you can't just buy a box of bees
and call it a day. To start, you'll need:

A Hive: Most people nowadays go for the Langstroth Hive, which looks like a wooden filing cabinet.
Frames for shaping hexagonal wax cells sit vertically inside the hive frame; bees use these frame to build
brood nests and store honey.

A smoker: Bees need to be tamed a bit before moving homes, hive inspections, and frame removal for
honey extraction. To do so, most beekeepers use a small smoker: a small can with bellows attached
where newspaper, dried leaves and twigs ignite and get puffed into the hive, calming the bees.

A hat with veil, protective jacket, and long gloves. Obviously you want to keep stinging to a minimum,
and these suits are made for both protection and flexibility. A hive tool: Sort of like a crow bar, the hive
tool helps gently separate the hive lid or frames that have been sealed with propolis.

A closer look at how bees make honey

You may have heard honey referred to as bee spit, however, this is not technically accurate as we will
see as we look closer at the actual process bees use to make honey.nMost people know that it’s the
workers, or field bees, that collect the nectar which is then turned into honey. Tens of thousands of
workers make up the “heartbeat” of the colony. Because they all require honey as a food source it’s
easy to picture honey as the lifeblood traversing through the collective veins of the colony. So just how
do bees go about making this sweet stuff that humans have been hunting and collecting since the
beginning of time?

The Collection Process

If you’ve ever sat in front of a bee hive and watched bees come and go you may have noticed that in the
morning it seems like the only thing the bees are bringing in is pollen. Bee after bee returns to the hive
with its pollen baskets laden with varying colors of pollen. “So just where is the nectar for making
honey?” you might ask. Most plants don’t begin to produce significant amounts of nectar until they have
a chance to warm up in the morning sun. Once warm, the nectar begins to flow. So the field bees collect
pollen while they wait for the nectar to become available. Pollen provides the protein needed to raise
young and a varied mix of pollen is just as important to the colony as is honey.
One fascinating aspect of nectar collection is that an individual field bee only collects nectar from the
same color and species of flower. She is not distracted by other plants and their flowers, even though
those other flowers may be rich in nectar. In videos that track a honey bee’s flight from flower to flower,
the bee might begin her search for nectar by stopping at a blue flower. After leaving the first blue
flower she proceeds to fly over a field of other brightly-colored flowers in search of the next blue flower.
And it’s not just any blue flower but the blue flower produced by the same species of plant. This makes
the nectar collecting trips for the field bee more efficient. The bee does not have to stop and waste time
checking various flowers to see if they contain nectar, but already knows the specific species of plant
with the blue flower is producing nectar.

Not all field bees will be collecting from the same plant if more than one plant is producing nectar.
Other field bees will be collecting from other species. The field bee stores the nectar it collects in her
honey stomach, but it’s not a true stomach in that no digestion occurs there. The honey stomach is
similar to a crop and holds the nectar until the bee returns to the hive. At the hive the nectar is
regurgitated back to the mouth (thus the term “bee spit”) and given to another worker bee within the
hive.

Nectar Processing

Nectar has a high water content (up to 60 percent) and removing the water is one of the first steps the
bees must take to convert the nectar to honey, which normally contains 18 percent water. Beneficial
bacteria (lactobacillus) living in the honey stomach are added to the nectar, as is the enzyme invertase
via the bees salivary glands. To process the nectar, house bees receiving a portion of the nectar from a
field bee will seek out a quiet place in the hive to further the process of converting the nectar to honey.

After regurgitating a portion of the nectar to their mouth parts, the house bee adds more invertase to
break down the sucrose molecules in the nectar into two simple sugars, glucose and fructose, to
produce a small bubble. The bubble creates a greater surface-to-volume ratio and comes into contact
with the warm air inside the colony, evaporating water from the nectar. The bubble will then be taken
back into the honey stomach to be mixed with the remaining nectar and enzymes prior to producing
another bubble. The house bee will continue this activity for several minutes to process each stomach
load before the next phase of nectar ripening can continue.

Nectar Ripening and Storage

In the next phase of nectar ripening the house bees will begin storing the nectar droplets in beeswax
cells where passive evaporation will continue the drying process. The ripening process continues in the
warm hive environment and is facilitated by house bees fanning their wings to circulate air and increase
the rate of evaporation. Reducing the water content lowers the volume of the nectar by half, allowing
the bees to store more honey in less space. It also concentrates the volume of sugars, which creates an
environment that is inhospitable to organisms capable of spoiling the final honey product. The
enzymatic action (invertase) that breaks down the sucrose into glucose and fructose is the process that
chemically changes nectar into the product we know as honey. The enzyme glucose oxidase is also
found in honey and it converts glucose to gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide.

These compounds provide the ripening honey with antibacterial properties and high acidity – a hostile
environment for bacteria – resulting in a honey product that will not spoil. Other compounds found in
honey in trace amounts are calcium, chlorine, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus,
potassium, silica, sodium and sulfur. After the moisture content of the honey has been reduced to
approximately 18 percent the bees will cap it under a thin layer of wax. There are two types of capped
honey, referred to as “wet” and “dry”.

Dry capped honey is what many of us are familiar with and is most desired by consumers. It is the honey
comb most often pictured in books that appears white. It appears this way because the bees leave a
tiny air space between the wax cap and the honey so that the two are not in contact.

Wet capped honey appears dark, for the simple reason that there is no air space between the honey and
the wax capping. There is really no difference between wet and dry capped honey other than the fact
one contains an air pocket and one does not.

Harvesting Honey

At the end of the summer, if it’s been a good season and your bees have stored plenty of honey to see
themselves through winter, the beekeeper may have the opportunity to harvest a bit of the bees labor,
enjoying some fresh golden honey over the course of the coming winter.nThe beekeeper will only want
to harvest honey that is fully capped to avoid fermentation. Fermentation can begin when the honey
reaches a moisture content of 18.6 percent, but can also be prevented by storing the honey at
temperatures below 50 degrees. The ideal temperature for honey to granulate is 57 degrees.

Honey is hygroscopic and can absorb moisture from the air. Inside the hive the bees control the hive
environment to ensure fermentation does not begin. It’s also why they reduce the moisture content to
about 18 percent prior to capping. It’s worth pointing out that liquid honey will eventually granulate.
Honey that contains a greater proportion of glucose to fructose will granulate faster, because glucose is
unstable as a liquid and will naturally form crystals. Too often the consumer considers granulated honey
spoiled and ends up throwing it away, but it’s actually fine to eat and some folks prefer it that way.
Granulated honey can be re-liquefied by gently warming it in a pan of water such as a double boiler.
Keep in mind that too much heat or even extended gentle heating can darken honey and reduce its
quality.

Honey is available in three styles: extracted, comb and chunk.

Most of the honey sold in the United States is sold as extracted honey. Extracted honey is also sold as
“creamed honey”, which is a crystallized honey with very fine crystals that give it a feel in the mouth
more like butter.

Comb honey is sold in sections of wax comb that are still filled with honey. Many people enjoy taking a
bite of comb honey and chewing on the wax.

Another style is chunk honey, which consists of pieces of honey-filled comb that is placed in a container
and then the container is filled with extracted honey.

Look for both comb and chunk style honey at farmers markets and road side stands in late summer or
fall.

Word to the Wise

It’s always worth mentioning that honey should not be fed to infants less than a year old. Spores of the
bacteria Clostridium botulinum commonly exist throughout our environment and are able to survive in
honey. The spores may be able to reach the vegetative stage of their life cycle in the digestive tracts of
infants and produce toxins that could be injurious to them.

Honey and Beginning Beekeepers

Finally, no discussion of honey would be complete without a short advisory to beginning beekeepers. In
the excitement of their first season of beekeeping it’s not uncommon for the new beekeeper to remove
too much honey from the hive and starve an otherwise thriving colony over the course of the winter. It
is the wise beekeeper who errors on the side of caution the first season and takes note of the amount of
honey left in the hive at the end of the season. When spring comes it will then be possible to see how
much honey was required by the colony over the course of the winter. By doing so you will gain an
understanding of how much honey can safely be remove from the hive when the next season rolls
around. All beekeeping is local and it’s important to know your bee’s requirements for your particular
area.

Safe beekeeping practices

It is important to wear protective clothing that is smooth and light-coloured because bees react
unfavourably to dark or woolly material. The clothing should also be clean – bees dislike certain odours
such as dog, horse and diesel fuel. Ensure the protective clothing has no holes because bees have a
knack of crawling through small holes. Bees that make it through to the inside will often panic and sting.
Put on your protective clothing and equipment before you move close to the hives. When you have
finished working in the apiary, move well away from the hives before you begin to remove protective
clothing. It is not uncommon for one or two bees to follow the beekeeper when leaving the apiary.

Beekeeping hat

Ventilated helmets are available from beekeeping supply shops. The ventilation helps to keep the head
cool on hot summer days and the hat gives firm support for the bee veil.

Dark felt hats and floppy hats should be avoided.

Bee veil

A folding wire veil fitted to a firm hat keeps its shape and this ensures a good separation between the
beekeeper's face and the bees outside the veil. Black cotton veils are cheaper than folding veils but can
be easily blown against the face.

Beekeeping coveralls and bee suits

Most beekeepers wear khaki or white coveralls fitted with elastic cuffs and wrist bands. These are
available from beekeeping supply shops. If standard coveralls are purchased they are best fitted with
cuffs and bands. Make sure the leg length is long enough to protect your ankles when you bend to reach
the bottom box of the hive. Purpose made bee suits available from beekeeping supply outlets are also
worth considering. They have a number of additional protective features such as a bee veil built into a
strong hood attached to the body of the suit.

Beekeeping gloves

Gloves, usually vinyl or plastic coated, must be strong but also pliable to allow movement of the fingers
when lifting boxes and frames. Elbow length cloth sleeves attached to the gloves prevent bees gaining
access inside. A band of elastic sewn into the sleeve at the elbow will make the glove and sleeve entirely
bee-proof.

Footwear

Elastic sided boots are commonly worn because they cover the ankles. Sock protectors provide
additional protection for the ankles.

Bee stings

Anyone who keeps honey bees will receive a bee sting sooner or later. There are no exceptions to this
fact. If you know or suspect that you have an allergy to bee stings, you must seek medical advice before
taking up or continuing with beekeeping.nMost people are not allergic to bee stings. Stings can produce
different reactions that range from temporary pain and discomfort to a severe allergic reaction. Having
one type of reaction does not guarantee you will have the same reaction every time you are stung or
that the next reaction will be the same or more severe. In some people, the reaction increases as more
stings are received. Therefore, even if your reaction is minor, you should seek medical advice regarding
future stings.

When starting beekeeping, it is important to have another person present to watch for any indication of
an adverse reaction to stings. This person should be available to get medical help for you if required.
Joining a beekeeping club where beginners are able to open hives and handle bees under guidance of an
experienced beekeeper is recommended.

Dealing with bee stings

Removing the sting

Remove the sting as quickly as possible to minimise the amount of venom injected. Muscles in the
detached sting will continue to drive the sting deeper into the skin and at the same time pump more
venom into the victim. Any delay in removing the sting increases the venom injected.nRemove the sting
by scraping or plucking it. Research reported in the medical journal, The Lancet, in 1996, pointed out
that the method used to remove the sting did not seem to affect the quantity of venom received. It was
more important to get the sting out as quickly as possible. Apply appropriate medication to the sting site
if required, to minimise pain.

Bee inside your veil

It is important to remain calm. Move quickly, well away from the apiary before removing the veil to
release the bee. An agitated bee freed from a veil may quickly return to attack. So it may be better to kill
the bee inside the veil before it has an opportunity to sting. Keep the bee well away from your face
when squashing it.

When a bee stings through clothing

Remain calm. Immediately blow smoke on the clothing at the sting site to mask any pheromones that
invite other bees to 'sting here'. If you need to apply medication to minimise pain, move well away from
the apiary before removing any clothing.

Effect of smoke on bees

Smoke stimulates bees to gorge honey or nectar. This temporarily disrupts the defensive behaviour of
the colony, making the bees easier to handle..A smoker with a barrel of 100 mm diameter is
recommended. Smokers of this size provide a good stream of dense cool smoke which subdues the bees
when opening the hive and during the period the hive is open.
Lighting the smoker

Place a small amount of newspaper in the bottom of the barrel of the smoker and light it. Add a small
amount of dry fuel (such as pine needles or dry stringy bark) in the barrel. At the same time work the
bellows to gently draw the fire. Continue to add fuel at the same time as working the bellows. When the
fire is well established with plenty of smoke, add more fuel to fill the barrel. Pack the fuel reasonably
firmly, but not so tightly that it will prevent air flow. This will make sure the smoke is cool and the fire is
not too hot. Hot smoke and sparks make bees angry.

Frequent use of the bellows will keep the fire alight provided fuel is added as required. On this page

Protective clothing and equipment

Bee stings

Dealing with bee stings

Bee smoker

Opening the hive

Working in isolation

Beekeeping in hot weather

Lifting hives and heavy equipment

Protective clothing and equipmentTo avoid burns, keep the hot barrel of the smoker away from you.
When not in use, place the smoker in a metal bucket positioned so that smoke drift does not affect your
eyes and breathing.

How to extinguish the smoker fire

Empty the smouldering smoker fuel and ash into a bucket of water. Ensure all the ash and fuel in the
smoker is thoroughly soaked. If it is unsafe to empty the smoker, due to a strong wind, place a tight roll
of paper in the smoker nozzle to smother the fire. Then place the hot smoker in a metal bucket until the
smoker is completely cold.

Restrictions affecting use of smokers

A smoker must not be used on a day of Total Fire Ban unless you have a permit. For advice on Total Fire
Ban days, contact the Country Fire Authority. During declared Fire Danger Period or Fire Restriction
Period, fires in the open air are restricted. Because bee smokers are considered to be a fire in the open,
the following restrictions apply during these periods:
Smokers should only be lit on ground that is bare of combustible material for 3 metres or in a fire proof
receptacle such as a steel bucket.

A knapsack or water extinguisher, containing no less than 9 litres of water, and a rake hoe or fire rake
should be located as close as practical to the lit smoker.

When the smoker is not being operated, it should be placed in the fire proof receptacle.

A person must be in attendance of a lit smoker at all times.

Opening the hive

Honey bees are relatively manageable when the following conditions occur:

The weather is fine, air temperature is about 16°C or above and there is no strong wind.

There is good daylight – avoid very dull periods.

Bees are flying to and from the hive.

Foragers returning to the hive may have pollen pellets on their hind legs.

The following points provide a guide for opening the hive and examining combs:

Stand at the side of the hive so that sunlight shines over your shoulders. When examining a comb, this
position allows the sun to shine directly into the cells.

Direct 5 to 6 puffs of smoke into the hive entrance so that the smoke circulates inside the hive. Never
open a hive unless smoke has been applied.

Wait about 1 minute for the smoke to reach its maximum effect – then direct a few more puffs into the
entrance.

Use the hive tool to lift the cover (lid) about 20 mm at one corner and direct 3 to 4 puffs of smoke over
the hive mat (if present) or top bars of the frames.

Remove the lid and the hive mat and at the same time direct a few puffs of smoke between the frames.

Use the hive tool to separate 1 of the side frames (next from the hive wall) and the adjoining frame.

Lift the side frame out of the box and stand it on end at the opposite front corner so that it does not
block the hive entrance and obstruct forager bees. There is now room to separate the remaining frames
and remove them to inspect the combs as necessary. Failure to separate frames will result in bees being
rolled and crushed as each frame is lifted out of the box. This will cause bees to become angry.
Apply more smoke when bees gather on the top bars of frames and suddenly fly up towards. This
behaviour indicates that the beneficial effect of smoke has mostly worn off. Direct smoke around the
top bars to ensure the bees remain manageable.

When a hive of 2 or more boxes is opened, it is best to put the supers on an upturned cover placed near
the front of the hive – but not directly in front of the entrance. Using the hive tool, lift the super about
20 mm at one corner. Direct a few puffs of smoke between the 2 boxes and then remove the box.

Inspect and manipulate combs in the bottom box first. Inspection of combs in the super before it is
removed from the hive will in many cases result in bees moving from the super to the bottom box.
When the bottom is attended to, the bees are unnecessarily agitated.

Reassembling and closing the hive is done in the reverse order. Smoke may be used to direct and move
any bees that might otherwise be squashed when the hive lid and boxes are returned to their position.

Working in isolation

Beekeepers who keep hives away from home often work in isolation – a long distance from contact with
other people. Beekeepers working in such conditions should have effective means of communication so
they can get help in an emergency. A mobile phone or trunk radio should be considered. Before leaving
home, a beekeeper should advise family members or an appropriate person of the apiary location and
expected time of returning home. Effective means of communication, including receiving emergency
radio bulletins during the proclaimed fire danger period, is important for monitoring any wildfires that
might pose a safety risk. Beekeepers should always carry a first aid kit and have a basic understanding of
first aid.

Beekeeping in hot weather

Take special care when working with bees on hot days. Wearing protective clothing and working the
hives in full sunlight can easily result in the body becoming over heated and dehydrated. It is essential to
have a supply of cool fluids for frequent drinks and for the beekeeper to detect early signs of heat stress
and dehydration..It is best to avoid working bees on very hot days or during the hottest part of the day.
This will be better for you and the bees.

Lifting hives and heavy equipment

A considerable amount of lifting is necessary in beekeeping and several beekeepers have had back
injuries. An 8-frame super (box) with all combs full of honey may weigh around 32 kg. Hives with two or
more boxes and some stored honey will weigh much more. Beekeepers are encouraged to adopt correct
manual handling techniques and to use mechanical lifting equipment when moving hives. Information
on suitable lifting equipment is available from beekeeping supply shops and beekeeping journals.
CONCLUSION

Beekeeping can feel overwhelming for beginners. Not only do you need to get the right beekeeping
supplies, find a place for your hive and get your hands on some real live bees, you also have to meet
regulations, get specific advice for your local area and learn how a colony functions. It’s almost enough
to put you off before you even start! The good news is, learning to be a beekeeper is not as complex as
it might first seem. You’ll need to do some research, invest in some beekeeping gear and make some
mistakes along the way, but it’s eminently doable – and the rewards make it well worth the effort. Once
you’ve made it through the first year or two and harvest your honey, you’ll wonder why you ever
worried! The key to success in that first couple of years? Knowledge-building. The more you read, learn
and observe about bees, hive maintenance, local conditions and regulations, the better you’ll do.