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• Method 2 of 3: Where to Get Bees
• Method 3 of 3: Handling bees

1 Buy a bee house. Honeybees can set up hives in a wide variety of locations, but most natural hives do not allow honey to be safely extracted. Special beehives sold in stores will allow you to collect honey without disturbing the bees.

• The most popular brand of beehives is Langstroth. These hives have retractable frames that don't get in the way of the shoulders.
• These hives are completely collapsible and do not hold well as they are designed so that the bees can move freely between the moving parts.
• Top Bar hives are narrower and taller - they are suitable for people who find it difficult to bend over due to back problems.
• Ware hives are shaped like a house. They are not suitable for large colonies, however small colonies are comfortable in them.

2 Choose a location for the hive. It is possible to keep a colony of bees in a standard size hive. It may seem that the main thing is to have enough space in the house or yard, but there are a number of other factors to consider.

• Find out if you can keep bees in your area on your site.
• Make sure no one in your household is allergic to bees.
• Tell your neighbors if you want to have bees. They may have objections or special requests.

3 Make or buy a hive stand. To keep the tree from rotting and to keep the bees from sitting on the ground, you will need to prepare a hive stand. The hive must be at least 45 centimeters above the ground. This will protect the bees from wild animals.

• As a rule, the stand consists of several impregnated boards and is installed on bricks or concrete blocks.
• To reduce dirt, place a layer of mulch, gravel or stones under the stand.

4 Buy protective clothing. Honeybees are not the most aggressive species, but their stings are painful. To protect yourself from being bitten when checking the condition of the hive and collecting honey, you need to buy a beekeeper suit.

• Often a headgear with a mesh is enough.
• If you don't have to do anything complicated, add a light jacket.
• If the wind or bees are aggressive outside, wear a full suit.

5 Buy a smoker. The smoker is a device for fumigating bees, consisting of a cylinder, a cone-shaped lid and bellows. When the fire flares up, you need to squeeze the bellows so that the smoke comes out through the cone. The smoke will calm the bees while you do something with the hive.

• You can burn pine needles, twine, wood, or use a special liquid.
• The smoke makes the bees think they need to run away from the fire and disrupts the production of pheromones they need to communicate with the rest of the colony.

Method 2 of 3: Where to Get Bees

1. 1 Catch a wild swarm. A wild swarm is a swarm of bees that have left their hive. Bees can swarm around a tree or bush in the spring. Bees are relatively friendly at this time of year as they prepare to build a new hive. This is the cheapest, but also the most dangerous option.
   • Put on a beekeeper costume and try to catch the bees and plant them in an empty hive.
   • Place the box under the branches of a tree or bush that bees swarm around. You can try shaking the branches to make the bees fall into the box, but this can make them angry. It is best to cut the branch and put it in a box with the bees for transport.
   • It is not recommended to catch bees in this way if you have no experience in beekeeping.
2. 2 Buy a swarm of bees from a beekeeper. Look for beekeepers who sell bees. This is the easiest way to get started with beekeeping, and you will have a familiar beekeeper who you can turn to for advice.
   • The cost of bees can vary.
   • Make sure the bees are healthy. A special analysis will allow you to check if the bees are healthy, and you will not have to destroy an entire colony in the future.
3. 3 Buy bees from a specialty store. To be sure of the health of bees, you can buy them in a special store. Worth buying:
   • about 10,000 worker bees;
   • queen bee;
   • sweet water to feed the bees during transport
4. 4 Transfer the bees to their new house. Moving bees to the hive is easy. The store may give you special instructions.
   • Place the queen in an empty hive.
   • Move the worker bees.
   • Bees do not yet have a hive to protect, and they will not immediately understand what is happening, so the likelihood of stings will be extremely low.
   • In the first year, the colony will grow. Honey will appear only in the second year.

Method 3 of 3: Handling bees

1. 1 Ask an experienced beekeeper to help you get started. At the very beginning, you should work under the supervision of an experienced beekeeper. The beekeeper will share with you information that is difficult to find on the Internet.
   • The beekeeper will show you how to deal with bees if you are nervous.
   • The help of such a person will facilitate the learning process, and soon you will be able to work with the bees on your own.
2. 2 Check the condition of the bees. You will need to check the health of the bees more often than collect honey. A headgear with a safety net is usually sufficient for this job, but a jacket can also be worn.
   • Walk up to the hive on a sunny day when flowers are blooming everywhere to keep most of the bees busy.
   • Wash clothes that the bees have bitten on your previous visits. Traces of pheromones can cause aggression in bees.
   • Use a smoker to fill the hive with smoke to calm the bees.
3. 3 Check out how the honey harvesting process is going. You will need to open the hive and remove the frames to see if everything is okay with the honey.Remember to use a smoker to calm the bees.
   • Using the special tool (small crowbar), lift the edge of the outer frame and then slowly pull it out.
   • Within the framework there will be honey or even larvae deposited by the queen bee.
   • If the frame is covered with beeswax, then it is filled with honey inside and can be removed.
4. 4 Collect honey. It's time to collect fresh honey! It is possible to collect honey in a beekeeper suit, but if you are careful it may not be necessary.
   • You can buy a special bee trap that will allow the bees to get inside, but prevent them from flying out. When you start fumigating the hive, most of the bees will go into the trap, making it easier for you to collect honey.
   • Use a pocket knife or small blade to cut the honeycomb from the frames. Beeswax, which makes up the honeycomb, can also be eaten.
   • If you want to use only pure honey, buy a special centrifuge that will separate the honey from the combs.
5. 5 Treat bee stings. Sooner or later, you will be stung by a bee. Most beekeepers encounter stings, but gradually find ways to avoid them. If you are stung by a bee:
   • Remove the sting as soon as possible and wash the wound with soap and water.
   • Apply a cold compress and check for an allergic reaction.
   • If you show signs of a mild allergic reaction, take an antihistamine and apply cortisone to the bite site.
   • If the allergic reaction is severe, give an adrenaline shot and call an ambulance.