# Cost



## thebaker (Dec 2, 2009)

Does it cost a whole lot of money to get into having bees for your own use?

I know you got to purchase hives, bee clothes, the bees an etc.. 

If will give me a cost idea what it would be..

Thanks..


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

the best way to find a cost would be to contact your local bee supply place and get the prices from them for the things you are going to need. if your a handy person and have some tools you could make your own hives to bring the price down. and catching a swarm is another way to way to get some bees instead of buying them.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Stripped down versian, 2 home made boxes, some frames (I bought these), and a bug netting veil for $6. OH! Plastic dishwashing gloves also from the grocery store: the bees cannot get a grip on them and so they cannot sting.

And, of course, bees.

BUT! It is so MUCH more convenient to have a smoker instead of building a fire in a metal bowl and blowing to send the smoke into the hive. And, when I decided to split the hive I did not warm up to building more bee homes and so I bought. And the bug veil might protect my eyes but I could not warm up to the idea of being stung on my face where the bug veil touched me and so.......

Honey can be taken and the comb crushed. Strain out the wax. Or you can get an extractor which will give you more honey because the bees will not have to re-make the wax. 

Plastic gloves meant to be worn while washing dishes will prevent you being stung: just put rubber bands around the cuff to prevent a bee from crawling into the cuff. For that matter, pull your socks over your pants legs to prevent them from crawling up your leg. A bewildered bee will mean you no harm but if you squish her you WILL get stung! Or, so I have been told.

You CAN get started cheaply enough, but, then you will find reasons to buy more gear. Trust me, you will.


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## thebaker (Dec 2, 2009)

no1cowboy said:


> the best way to find a cost would be to contact your local bee supply place and get the prices from them for the things you are going to need. if your a handy person and have some tools you could make your own hives to bring the price down. and catching a swarm is another way to way to get some bees instead of buying them.


It would be nice if had a local bee supply place but we don't so have to get stuff of the Internet..I've been watching for swarms for a couple of years but have never seen any. 

Around here there is a few honeybees but not a lot. It would be great to see lots of honeybees flying around here. I like to have our own honey with the comb instead of spending out 15 to 20 bucks for a jar of honey that doesn't even contain no comb. 


I found this site does this seem like a good place to order a few hives?
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/10-Frame-Complete-Hives/products/5/

I don't need a Foundation as I can use a old table to support the hives.. :gaptooth: I think the foundation is talking about a like stand correct?


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## tom j (Apr 3, 2009)

I don't need a Foundation as I can use a old table to support the hives.. I think the foundation is talking about a like stand correct?
sorry the Foundation we mean,, is inside the hive and the girls ( bees ) build the comb on it ... 
welcome to bee keeping


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Check your local library for some books/videos on beekeeping. The Internet has numerous beekeeping sites, tutorials, videos, etc.

Consider joining a local beekeeping club. Clubs are good places to find mentors and often offer beginning beekeeping classes. Plus, members can direct you to local suppliers of bees and equipment.
http://www.virginiabeekeepers.org/association_map.htm

For low-cost beekeeping, consider top-bar hives:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm

http://beenatural.wordpress.com/natural-beekeeping/top-bar-hives/

As for swarms, if you're interested in collecting them, give your name & phone number to places like your local fire dept, county extension office, library, etc. They usually keep lists of "who to call" for swarms.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Animal control, pesty control companies, USDA office, police deptments and nature centers are all good places to have your name for collecting swarms.

I've collected 7 swarms in 4 days and turned down 3 calls directing them to club members I know are looking for more bees.

I find collecting swarms so much fun I collect and give them to people in the clubs I know who are looking for more bees. I ran out of equipment and have resorted to card board boxes.

A long sleeved shirt, jeans a brimmed hat and a veil are all that is needed really for bee suits.
I've been doing this for a long time, have 12 out yards with well over 100 colonies and have never owned a bee suit nor disired one. Many people i know don't use the ones they own either as they are so hot.










Tape or close up the slit in the shirt sleeve from the button back. They will crawl in there and get mad when they can't find the way out or they get pinched a bit.

Close off the pant legs too.










A swarm like this can be shook into a 5 gallon pail easy. Atatch the lid to the pail with a short section of rope so the lid is handy.



















ound: It's addicting so be fore warned:hysterical:.

 Al


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## beerancher (Dec 30, 2008)

its just like any other hobby you can put as much in it as you can afford to spend without doing harm to your budget and still get by. I have seen people that spent money on all the bells and whistles to get into keeping bees and they dont get anymore honey from there hives as the guys ive known that have scrounged around for scrap wood to build hives from. IMO the best bees to get are not the ones you pay for its the ones that people will pay you to come get.


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## thebaker (Dec 2, 2009)

I talked to a neighbor and he said he may helps us when we get into bee keeping as he has never done so, so he would like to learn how too. 

We don't have no local beekeeping clubs close to us. The closes one is about 200 to 300 miles away. There is only one local bee keeper an he don't want to help anyone so guess we're on our own learning the ropes. 

We've already been looking out toward our barn area to put the hives since there is no foot traffic hardly at all. 

Just now got to see what is the best links to be able to order stuff. I would love to get a swarm of honeybees but so far never seen any around here. 

How many times have you all been stung by your all sweet honeybees.. ?


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

I've got one hive. So far my expenses have been about as such:

Bottom board, two deeps, an inner cover and an outer cover @ $95. This included the Queen and bees (captured swarm requeened last year)

I bought several top feeders till I found the one I really liked...so I have about $30 wrapped up in that.

Queen excluder, three medium supers, a shallow super for @ $100.

Bee suit, smoker, veil, hive tool, brush @ $120

Medicines (Fumidil and Apistan @ $35

Sugar (for feeding this past spring and last autumn) @ $20

That means I've put around $400 into it.

I'm probably going to expand to a second colony next year. The equipment will last for 4 or 5 years, if taken care of. I recently looked at the price of honey in the stores...Yikes. If I get a conservative 80 lbs of honey this year, from my hive, and honey costs $5/lb. I break even. I'd venture to say that most hives produce closer to 100 pounds of honey. some places, honey runs more than $5/lb. If I spend another $200 next year, then my investment will be $600, and my production will be close to 240 lbs. of honey (for this year and next)...$600 / 240 lbs. brings my cost down to @ $2.50/lb.

Guess I'm saying it's expensive from the onset, but costs will be amortized over a period of time. Also I enjoy working with them, plus I think they benefit my garden and my orchard, so those things (even without a pricetag) go on the plus side. 

Hope this gives you a clear picture of what typical expenses might be like. See if anyone can give you a bee catalogue. They will show prices there. A good resource to see what kinds of equipment you'd need is Beekeeping for Dummies. Some companies have reasonable starter kits. Look into them.


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## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

pheasantplucker said:


> The equipment will last for 4 or 5 years, if taken care of.


Should last far longer than that. 



> If I get a conservative 80 lbs of honey this year, from my hive, and honey costs $5/lb. I break even. I'd venture to say that most hives produce closer to 100 pounds of honey.


I wouldn't count on that much honey. According to the statistics of reported yields, Ohio beekeepers have been averaging around 50 lbs per hive:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/Hone/Hone-02-26-2010.pdf


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

When I got into bees, I bought two complete hives from a beekeeper that was getting out of it as his back just wasn't up to it anymore. I spent $250 per hive, completely drawn out frames with established bees. Of course that got me hooked and I now have 6 hives (4 new packages and a swarm that I ended up splitting already!).

As for my bee suit? I bought a proper veil as I didn't like the netting one clinging to my face and neck. I went to the local thrift store and bought a white shirt and pants that were a bit loose for comfort. I found some long-sleeved leather gloves at an auction for $2.00 as they're perfect for a woman and nobody else was interested (great for me!). I already had high-top boots which I tuck my pants into or duct tape them to the outside of the boots. If you don't wear the gloves, duct tape works great to seal the shirt sleeves shut.

As for other equipment, I did buy a smoker but rarely use it (read my thread on dropping a box). A welder friend made me a hive tool. I had purchased queen excluders but haven't used them as my gals seem to stay in the hive bodies (again read my thread on dropping a box).

I live in rural farm country and am trying to get the word out that I'd gladly gather any swarms. Can't wait until I get those calls!! I'm hooked.

-Catherine


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

thebaker said:


> We've already been looking out toward our barn area to put the hives since there is no foot traffic hardly at all.


Do you have livestock? Livestock and bees do not mix at ALL because the hive is often at the right heighth to scratch against.

A 1000 pound critter scratching against a hive can knock it over, and the bees get mad and sting. Bad for the knocked-over bees and bad for the stung animal.



thebaker said:


> How many times have you all been stung by your all sweet honeybees.. ?


On average, once or twice a year, though I do not work them as often as I should.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

If your equipment isn't lasting longer than 4 or 5 years then your doing some thing wrong. I have pine hive bodies that are nearing 25 years old and are still in serviceable condition but need extra care when prying with a hive tool.

Getting stung is part of the bussness I don't care if you are wearing medivile armour. You can get stung just walking across the yard well away from the bees if the conditions are right.

I got stung last evening well over 50 yards from any hive while mowing the lawn. I was sweating heavly and she wanted some of that sweat. She got angury when I brushed her from under my eye.

These people are good to deal with. I use their pollen pro patties when I don't have enough made for all the spring hives boost.
I *do not *care for their unassembled frames if I have to hand nail them together as they are tough to drive a nail in. 
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/index.asp

I have bought all my hive bodies I didn't get used or build my self from this nice folks.
I also got my smoker from them as well as the sleeves, net all my wax foundation. I even bought a queen from them a long time back when I was starting out.
http://www.kelleybees.com/PageDefault.aspx

Better Bee, aproch with caution read the supplier feed back sticky thread above. Not a wholelot of praise for this company.


These people are good to deal with. I will admit I haven't bought a lot from them. they have times in the very early spring with free shipping. *That can cut equipment cost a whole bunch*
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/

 Al


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Any good books for a beginner? Would a nuc box be enough for a swarm until a person could get a regular box?


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## thebaker (Dec 2, 2009)

Terri said:


> Do you have livestock? Livestock and bees do not mix at ALL because the hive is often at the right heighth to scratch against.
> 
> A 1000 pound critter scratching against a hive can knock it over, and the bees get mad and sting. Bad for the knocked-over bees and bad for the stung animal.
> 
> On average, once or twice a year, though I do not work them as often as I should.


Yes I've got some livestock but they aren't at the barn. The goats are out into a field were there is a goat shed built for them. Only thing I got close to the barn is 2 bunnies in a cage. Where I'm thinking of putting the bees hives is farther away from the bunnies cages but kinda close to the barn. There is no foot traffic out there at all. Its so peaceful out there an I've sit out the just watching the wildlife moving throughout the woods. I would never put bees next to livestock because I read on the Internet some-where's that bee hives don't need to be where lots of foot traffic due to it makes the bees upset.. 




Can anyone suggest a link that shows the inside of a hive an explains all about the hives?

Got lots to learn before get our bees want to be prepared not caught off guard.


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## no1cowboy (May 2, 2004)

thebaker said:


> I would love to get a swarm of honeybees but so far never seen any around here.


put a bait hive a 1/4 mile or so from the local beekeeper!


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

*If you want A cheap easy read book then bee keeping for dummys has to be one of the very best.

If you want to know from A to Z then buy the ABC XYZ of bee keeping. You can get some good used ones at good prices from Book finder dot com, abe books and albris books.*

_To see a picture of a hive set up order a free catolog from Mann lake or I think W.T. Kelleys. You can order the catologs on line from their web site._

Yes a nuc box would hold a medium (3 to 4 pounds) size swarm for a couple of weeks. If it was just foundation maybe longer.

 Al


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## beerancher (Dec 30, 2008)

how many times have i been stung lets see 3 times picking up a swarm at the local walmart after dark tonight i know wait till morning but headed to st louis early in the morning than there was the 5 i got sunday night removing a swarm that was trying to take up residence in a house then there was the 20 plus i got sunday morning doing a cutout i unziped my veil once i got in the truck didnt think that there was bees down the back of my veil and suit so that was just in the last 4 days i have had hives for 5 years as many as 70 and staying at a steady 30 to 40 so anyhow you do the math


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## Michael Bush (Oct 26, 2008)

There are a lot of gadgets out there that you don't need. The minimum is some kind of veil (I prefer a jacket with a zip on viel) some kind of gloves (regular leather gloves or even dish washing gloves tuckedinto the jacket sleeves work fine), a smoker and the parts of the typical hive (bottom top, boxes frames) or a top bar hive. After that you really don't need anything else and most of the rest of it is a waste of time and money.


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## Kent (Nov 30, 2009)

If a person is wanting to get into bees as cheaply as possible you could do for just a few dollars. One of our top bar hives is made totally of scrap lumber. The only purchased items were the fasteners and the screen for the bottom. I am sure less than $10 in all. I have never bought any chemicals. We have hived four swarms in the last week without wearing any protection and have had only one sting . To answer your question, I say to can get into having bees for less than $10. If your wanting to do much with them you would want a jacket and a few other things.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Alleyoper

Thanks for the answer and everybody else for the information in this thread.

I see a swarm every couple of years and get to thinking about catching one and having some bees. have a fourteen tear old son who thinks it would be neat too.


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