Important requirements - a checklist
Keeping bees in the garden is not a sideline project. Although the insects lead a largely independent life, they still assume great responsibility for many thousands of living beings. Therefore, please carefully examine your project using the following checklist. These premises enable the species-appropriate keeping of bees in the garden:
- A large garden with a varied planting of perennials, trees and flowers
- A professionally constructed beehive as a home for the people
- A pond in the garden or a bees trough
- A distance of 5 meters between the beehive and the neighboring property to prevent disputes
- Professional beekeeper protective clothing for safe care
- Insect screens in front of all windows and doors in the house
also read
- What bees fly on - ten trees rich in nectar and pollen
- Keeping a turtle in the garden - how does it work?
- Unfortunately, forsythia are completely worthless to bees
Furthermore, please inquire at the local veterinary office whether a permit or at least a registration is required to keep bees on the private property.
Magazine loot tops wicker basket - tips for the right beehive
Traditionally, woven wicker baskets serve as a home for a honey bee colony. Modern beekeepers advocate magazine hives, which is the technical term for beehives. The construction is easy to understand. With a little manual skill, you can build the hive yourself. Alternatively, you can use offers from specialist retailers. A beehive consists of these components:
- Wooden box with a slightly protruding lid with the dimensions (LxWxH) 1,000 x 500 x 300 mm
- Excursion hole 2-4 cm in diameter in the upper third
- Pre-embossed honeycomb panels made of organic beeswax
- Ideally a small plexiglass window as a peephole
If you build the hive yourself, please only use non-toxic materials. The wood glaze should have the Blue Angel as a quality mark. In order not to restrict the freedom of movement of bees in their hive, a maximum of one third of the room consists of honeycomb panels. As a rule, new beekeepers prefer the honeycomb box to get used to keeping a colony of bees.
There are only bees with beekeepers
To acquire your first bee colony, please contact a beekeeper. Only during the swarming season between the beginning of May and mid-June do responsible beekeepers offer bee colonies for sale. Let the specialist give you detailed advice on central issues relating to beekeeping, such as the location of the prey or billeting of the beehive.
Tips
Your arrangements for the settlement of Beneficial insects in the garden, does not conflict with your plan to keep your own bee colony. Honey bees are gentle vegetarians and live in peaceful coexistence with most other insects and small animals. Bees are occasionally on the menu of birds, although in the summer breeding season it is a completely natural process.