What’s the motto?…”You can never be too prepared”. I tried. I DID. (Yoda would be so proud.)
When I tackle something new that has the potential for serious consequences, I become a bit of a perfectionist. I try to gather information from numerous sources and make choices armed with a little knowledge. If it’s a subject that will just make me look like an idiot, I don’t care so much. But if I were to hurt a human, a bee, a duck, a cat, or a large established tree….that bothers me and keeps me awake at night.
I’m also a very busy person. In the spring of 2024 I was teaching English classes, running an Airbnb rental, volunteering 12-15 hours/week, being a good house wife, landscaping and working my gardens- to just name a few things. But once I started reading about bees and beekeeping, I filled any little gap with learning.
So I got a bit obsessed watching YouTube and Facebook videos, and reading blogs specific to hive inspections. I listened to various podcasts while taking walks and working in the yard. I joined a few apiarist and beekeeping groups and chats. My sister became my advocate, since she, too, has always been interested in bees. She sent me links to videos and vlogs that she enjoyed. She was the one to buy me The Beekeepers Bible and all other sorts of bee paraphernalia.
Something I found quite useful was signing up on Udemy for an online course by Queen Bri’s Honey. It was for beginner beekeepers and was close to a 15-hour course for me, which included about 8 hours of videos. Also, I found an online company called Perfect Bee that offered free advice and courses to new beekeepers. Little did I know then that this fortunate discovery would guide me toward my current writing position with them. (But that is a whole other story.)
Like me, you may find that there is a glut of information on the internet that can be a challenge to slodge through. For every question that has 6 answers one way, there are 1/2 dozen answers that say the opposite, right? And every apiarist is familiar with the quote, “If you ask 10 beekeepers a question, you’ll get 11 answers.”
However, I find that the subject of beekeeping is quite fascinating and informative BECAUSE there is not always a right or wrong, black or white, way of doing things. Obviously, there are things that should or should not be done. For instance, you do not want to use pesticides in your yard that kill bees. You shouldn’t take the lid off a beehive in a -10 degree F snowstorm. You should check on your bees from time to time. You should make sure the bees have a clean water source in the vicinity. However, I’m sure it’s quite possible that even those statements could draw critical remarks. But the point is, beekeeping is trial and error for every beekeeper in every season, the world over.
Beekeeping is an attitude.
What I came to appreciate is that apiarists are generally kind, big-hearted folk who love the planet and are willing to help each other out. The beekeepers I follow say regularly, “Now I’m not sure how this will work, but here’s what I’m trying today. I will post the results of my findings.” Or, “This might not work for everyone, but here’s why THIS works for me, and THAT didn’t work for me.” They are humble, informative, and caring people.
Below is a list of podcasts, videos, blogs, and books I began to follow in my first year of beekeeping, and perhaps you also will gain bee-husbandry insights if you haven’t already found these sources.
- Perfectbee.com (free intro beekeeping course, articles, blog)
- David Burns Bees (YouTube)
- The Hive Doctor (YouTube)
- Beekeeping Made Simple (YouTube)
- The Beekeeper’s Corner Beekeeping with Kevin Inglin (podcast)
- Mysteries of Honeybees with David Burns (podcast)
- The Way to Bee with Frederick Dunn (podcast)
- Beekeeping for Beginners by Michael York (book)
- Varroa Management by Kirsty Stainton (book)
- Scientific Beekeeping (blog)
- Honey Bee Suite (blog)
To be sure, this is a limited list of references I regularly go to. However, I have found dozens of informative sources that have been helpful. It’s out there if you look. And we will later talk about the importance of mentors.
In addition, I bought a notebook and a hive journal to keep written records and notes of all things bees. I don’t have a photographic memory and can be quite forgetful, so taking notes and drawing pictures is the best way to go for me.
?Now armed with a head full of information and a buzzing beehive in my yard, I courageously plotted my first beehive inspection.?
