During the cold winter months beekeepers across the country take their hive education seriously. They attend winter training courses in draughty church halls, and they devour the Thorne’s catalogue at night, looking for that daily ’fix’ of beekeeping enlightenment.
But, for a lot of new beekeepers, the Thorne’s catalogue is a confusing maze.
Buying a beehive
If you’re new to thornes beekeeping, you might want to consider buying a beehive instead of building one from scratch. This will make the process easier, and it will also be a lot more cost-effective.
Typically, you’ll need to buy a nucleus colony, which is a package of bees and a hive with frames already attached. These are usually available from beekeeping equipment retailers around April or May, and they can save you a lot of money.
You can also buy a beehive kit that includes all the pieces you need to build it from scratch. This is a good option for beginner beekeepers who aren’t sure they’ll be able to handle the project.
You can also buy ready-made hives from a local beekeeper. These are generally cheaper, but they’re not as durable as a hand-crafted beehive. You’ll also have to put them together yourself, and you might have to use wood glue to hold them together.
Getting started
If you are interested in keeping bees, but are not sure how to get started, there are many resources available to help. One of the most useful is the BBKA website, which provides tips on how to start a hive.
You can also find information on swarm control and how to install a nuc in your hive. The BBKA also has a number of beekeeping classes for beginners.
Beekeeping is a wonderful hobby that can be enjoyed by all ages. It is a physical and cerebral activity that requires a lot of patience and thought.
To get started, you will need a beekeeping suit, gloves, a smoker and a hive tool. The latter will help you to pry apart frames and remove honey.
You can purchase a beekeeping kit that includes the suit, gloves and tools from a number of different suppliers. Thorne’s have a wide range of beekeeping equipment and kits, but there are also many other options that are cheaper.
Keeping a beehive
Keeping a beehive can be a rewarding hobby. Not only do bees provide us with delicious honey, but they also help manage insect populations and pollinate local crops.
Beehives come in all shapes and sizes. Many people start by purchasing prebuilt hive kits, but you can easily build a beehive from scratch.
A beehive’s internal structure is made of hexagon wax cells, which serve as storage and support for the honey bees. Some cells hold developing baby bees called “brood” while other cells are used to store honey or pollen.
To minimize damage, remove the telescoping top cover when inspecting your beehive. It’s best to set the cover down with the metal side facing down – that way, the frames can hang freely over it.
The next part to look at is the inner cover. This dividing layer between the telescoping top cover and the frames full of bees below is an unsung hero of the hive.
Harvesting honey
A healthy thornes beehive can produce up to 50 pounds of honey each year. That amount varies depending on the climate where the bees are located and whether or not they have access to an abundance of plant nectar throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
Bees make their honey from the nectar of plants and store it in a honeycomb inside the hive. During the winter, when there is less nectar available, the bees use the excess to help them survive the cold.
In addition to being a tasty treat, honey also provides a valuable source of nutrients and antioxidants that are beneficial for your health. It’s often used in tea, baked goods, and more!
Traditionally, beekeepers uncapped the honey using a hot knife but there are now more sophisticated tools to remove the wax cappings. For example, a beehive uncapping fork can gently pull off the cappings without damaging the comb structure.
