# How late in the year can you start beekeeping



## knuckledragger

I live in West TN and I have heard that you should start beekeeping in the spring. I have been busy building a barn, so I haven't gotten any of the materials (or the bees) that I need to start. How late is too late to start? May? June? up into the summer?


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## BjornBee

While many panic if they don't have bees early (I had a lady cancell a package order yesterday because we were delayed in getting packages and she feels that April 15th is too late to start a hive cause she is missing the "flow", ......which is obsurd) you can start a hive through June or July if your are willing to feed and do what is needed to get them through the first winter.

Around here, as long as I can get 10 deep frames packed with bees and brood by fall, I can always put enough fondant on the hive to get them through winter. Most beekeepers focus on some amount of stores (60-80 pounds of honey) for evaluating if bees are ready for winter, but reality is that it comes down to fall raised brood. As a beekeeper, I can not squat and lay eggs for them. But I can provide the feed and enough stores to allow the colony to not starve in winter.

First year goal is to get them through the first winter. Way too many beekeepers feel if the don't get bees early enough, they will miss out on some magical amount of honey the first year....which for most is noting more than chasing pipedreams.


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## Mavors

realize the if you have all new frames that need to be built out, as most do their first year, then collecting honey that first year is not the norm. Sometimes you have a very strong hive and a strong flow so you can collect honey the first year, buy I wasn't able to.

Get them started as soon as you can and be sure feed after the flow for plenty of winter food.

Mav


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