Beekeeping for beginners

In short: Beekeeping means keeping honeybees to produce honey and support the pollination of plants. For beginners a basic course and membership in a beekeeping association are helpful.

In more detail: Bees pollinate a large part of crop and wild plants and are therefore ecologically important (bienenfreundlicher-garten).

In detail

• Basic equipment: Beehive, protective clothing, smoker and tools.
• Bee colony: A colony consists of a queen, workers and drones.
• Yearly cycle: Active care from spring to autumn, a resting phase in winter.
• Honey harvest: Usually happens once or twice a year.
• Diseases: The varroa mite is one of the biggest dangers to bee colonies.
• Legal matters: Keeping bees must be registered with the veterinary office.
• Community: Beekeeping associations offer courses, equipment and exchange of experience.