Spring is the ideal time to start a beehive. As winter is coming to an end, an increase in forage makes it the perfect environment for a new hive to thrive. We recommend doing lots of research before starting your beekeeping adventure. It is a costly startup project and not something that will take care of itself. Be sure to check your local laws or restrictions on having a beehive. Some areas do not permit beekeeping. Talk to locals in your area who have hives. Having a mentor will ensure you have the best start.
To start your hive you will need a few supplies to get started. Our start up cost was roughly $500 after purchasing supplies and ordering live bees. We have provided a complete list below.
Supplies Needed:
Bee Hive
After a lot of research, we settled on a 10 frame beehive. Although your hive size and frame size will depend on preference, you’ll have to decide which of these factors is important for you. Most consider the weight of the hive to be the biggest factor.
8-Frame
- An 8-frame hive weighs less which reduces the weight needing to be shifted at one time
- Bees tend to use up more frames per box before moving up, but you will need to purchase more boxes than if you bought a 10-frame hive
- The honey inside the hive is more compact and more accessible to the winter bee clusters
- You have more boxes to inspect
10-Frame
- With the whole hive in mind, you’ll have fewer boxes to purchase
- When inspecting the frames, you’ll have fewer frames to inspect in the hive
- Most hive accessories are made for 10-frame boxes
- 10-frame medium boxes of honey weigh up to 15+ lbs more than a full 8-frame beehive box
Hive Tools
This is a great kit that includes everything you need to get started within the first few months. The tools are good quality and the price is reasonable for what is included. You will need some smoke pellets for your smoker.
Beekeeping Suit
Dress the part! You will need a beekeeping suit. We have found the top covering to be sufficient. It is loose fitting and easy to move around in. You can purchase full body suits. We ordered two suits, as my husband and I using work the hive together.
Gloves came with our hive tool set, but they are rather large. I ordered these in my size. It is a lot easier working with tools and managing the hive with gloves that fit really well.
Live Bees
We ordered our live bees from Mountain Sweet Honey and had a great experience. They offer lots of advice and education and our bees were shipped on-time. It is best to notify your local post office before your bees arrive. You will want to pick them up and install them in your hive that day. One thing to note, most places only sell bees in the spring and some must be ordered well in advance. Mountain Sweet Honey offers a sale in June of 2022 for the 2023 bee season. Be sure to plan ahead!