How to Choose a Home for Your Hive

With summer quickly approaching, many homeowners are reminded of the many benefits that come from backyard beekeeping. Whether beekeeping is your backyard hobby or full-time job, the benefits of beekeeping are seen most when your colony thrives. One of the best ways to ensure a healthy bee family is to select the right environment for their home.

Benefits of Beekeeping

With the increased demand for natural household goods, bees have become somewhat of a “buzzworthy” topic over the last few years. Many backyard beekeepers find a variety of uses for the honey and beeswax that they collect from the hive.

In addition to many household benefits, many homeowners have pursued beekeeping for conservation efforts. Bees play a critical role in the ecosystem as they pollinate the crops and initiate the reproduction of many plants. The drastic decline in bee populations has brought many concerns to environmentalists across the globe.

Choosing a Home for Your Hive

Selecting the ideal location for your colony is one of the most important steps before fully benefiting from your backyard beekeeping. Here are a few steps to ensure a safe and beneficial home for your bees:

 

Check Local Beekeeping Laws and Regulations

Before placing your hive, make sure to do research regarding any permit requirements for your area. Many counties and cities require you to register your beehives before getting started. There may also be some land requirements to look into such as the amount of space you can dedicate to your beekeeping activities.

Consider the Environmental Conditions

Another thing to look into is the ideal habitat of the honeybee. Your colony will need an environment that gets plenty of sun but still has shelter from high winds. The more gardens, woodlands, orchards, and flowers there are surrounding the hive, the more your colony will flourish.

You’ll also want to ensure that any nearby neighbors are open to the idea of nearby hives. Educating your neighborhood on the benefits of beekeeping is a helpful way to encourage a positive reaction to your plans.

If you follow this advice for getting started with your colony, you’ll be sure to have a bee-utiful colony!

 

By: Angie Bersin

Original post: https://www.redfin.com/blog/beekeeping-for-your-home