Beekeepers Need Knowledge, Not Money

Beekeeping isn’t an expensive hobby, but it does require equal amounts of knowledge and vigilance.

Beekeepers can purchase wooden hives, which cost about $150 each, at the Los Angeles Honey Co. Honey extractors, used once or twice each year, can be rented for $7.50 per day, and protective gear can be purchased for about $25. “Prepackaged” bees (18,000, including queens), sold in containers, can be purchased for about $35 or obtained at reduced rates from other hobbyists.

“Getting started doesn’t cost a lot. The challenge is in the educational process,” said John Goit, Los Angeles County Beekeepers Assn. president. “There’s a lot to learn.”

Like other pets, bees require care. They must be given water regularly to prevent them from swarming and becoming unwanted guests at a neighbor’s swimming pool. In some cases, bees must be fed corn syrup or a mixture of sugar and water to start their honey production.

Their living quarters must be monitored carefully. If a hive becomes too crowded with bees or honey, the bees are more likely to swarm, Goit said. To increase space, beekeepers must expand the hive with an additional section--a process that is easier said than done.

“That’s when you have to use something called a smoker to calm the bees down,” Goit said. “You also have to move very slowly.”

Tricked into thinking that their hive is in the midst of a forest fire, the bees will concentrate on filling their bodies with honey instead of stinging intruders.

Novices can obtain more information through beekeeping courses at some universities, various books at area bookstores and the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Assn. (818) 886-3527.