HF ISSUE 1 P50-53 BEES
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20/2/08
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BEE KEEPING
Keeping Bees Beekeeping is becoming more popular, though bee populations are under threat. Each month Paul Peacock will take you step by step to becoming a beekeeper – one of the most ancient and peaceful occupations on the planet There are many reasons for keeping ARE BEES FOR YOU? bees, not least that beekeepers tend to The following are the prerequisites for live a long time, they appear to be free keeping bees of your own. You do not from stress (most of the time) they avoid have to have your own bees to start some of the ailments of with, the numerous old age (so they will tell beekeeping associations THE TRUTH IS you) and most have lots of hives for you definitely have an learn on and this THAT BEEKEEPING to uncommon undershould be your first call IS ONE OF THE standing of the seasons to introduce yourself to and nature in general. the hobby. GENTLEST Around the country OCCUPATIONS, there are beekeepers’ SKILLS associations starting You need a cool head, an WITH THE ODD courses, both practical eye for detail and a and theory that help STING THROWN IN willingness to learn – prospective beekeepers almost invariably you immerse themselves in will find beekeepers to the wonderful apine world. Keeping be a humble lot, approachable and bees is truly one of those pastimes understanding. This is because the bee’s that can change your life – if it is for way of life rubs off on the beekeeper. I you! There may be one in a hundred have never found a group of people that find it difficult to come to terms anywhere with a better understanding with forty thousand little stingers that ‘everyone has to start learning buzzing with imagined fury. The truth somewhere’. Don’t think because you is that beekeeping is one of the don’t understand the hive you cannot gentlest occupations, with the odd keep bees. If you can carry a box you sting thrown in. can have a beehive.
Confession Notice the heavy gloves – I’m not the only one that doesn’t like being stung! I hate bee stings! So I cover up. I wear a wolly under my beesuit and a pair of gloves under my gauntlets, and a pair of rubber gloves on top. Sometimes I wear a cap under the hood to keep then stinging my head. I look like an idiot, I get hot and other people call me a softie. I don’t care! I just ask them if they would like to play rugby against me and get on with inspecting my hives! The morale: don’t let fear stop you from keeping bees!