Beekeepers need to follow a set of rules.
In the beginning, beekeepers tend to make some mistakes because it is natural. It is also a process that helps them learn more about the behavior of the bees and how to take care of them properly.
First of all, beekeepers should observe their hives from the distance once a week or even daily to understand the bee traffic. As a beekeeper, you need to notice if the bees are bringing pollen back to the hive or if they deal with an ant invasion.
Plus, you need to know the approximate number of bees that leave or enter the hive and how many dead bees are around your hive. By doing all of these things, you can learn more about the colony.
Furthermore, it is important to open up the hive once every two to four weeks if you are a beginner. This way, you will spot any problem early and deal with it in time.
However, the hive inspection must be done properly, because opening up the hive is a very stressful process for bees. That is why many experienced beekeepers check their hives less frequently on more established colonies.
Another important aspect is to figure out if your hive still has a queen. A few signs are showing that your colony lost its queen, such as the lack of eggs, young larvae and a significant increase in honey and pollen because bees focus only on foraging when they no longer have any larvae to take care of.
Plus, if your colony stays too long without a queen, the bees will start leaving the hive. Another important rule is that you must avoid taking too much honey.
Experienced beekeepers advise others that they should not take honey from a colony during its first year. You need to let the bees make plentiful stores first. It is sad to see your colony dying due to starvation, just because you were too greedy.
It is also worth mentioning that package bees need to be fed well because they are weak, confused, and they have no honey. You need to feed them for a month if you want your colony to survive.
Moreover, beekeepers need to choose the right place to set their hives. It must be in clear space, with the sun shining from every angle. In addition to this, select a 10-foot radius of unfrequented area, so you have enough room to take care of you hive without any problems.
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