Getting Started

If you are thinking of keeping bees then you should get in touch with us and have a chat first. All beginners are welcome to attend our meetings and gain some familiarity with bees before considering membership in the association.

WDBKA also run an annual course designed to be a full day immersion for people who are interested in beekeeping, but unsure what it entails.

To help you get started, here are some of the more frequently asked questions we are asked about beekeeping:

How much time will it take?

For a novice, inspecting a hive will take about an hour. In spring and summer this should be done on average once every week to ten days. In the autumn and winter this may be reduced to monthly checks to ensure the bees have sufficient food, and that the hives are well protected from mice and woodpeckers. During the winter a dozen hours or so will be needed per hive in the workshop, to maintain equipment and prepare for the following year.

Processing the honey may take about twenty four hours per hive, spread over the year according to how often the beekeeper takes off the honey.

How much will it cost?

The basic equipment comprising one hive with mesh floor, roof, frames etc, bee suit, smoker, hive tool and a couple of ‘supers’, could cost up to £400 new, or obtained cheaper by acquiring them second hand. The bees themselves may be purchased for £100 to £200 or, obtained free as a swarm. Equipment for honey and wax processing will also be needed, costing from £200 up to £700 if purchased new, though WDBKA has such equipment available for free loan to its members.

Please consult an experienced beekeeper first if you are not buying brand new equipment. While there are bargains to be had in the second hand market, there are also warning signs to look out for such as disease and obsolete equipment that could set you off with a poor start to beekeeping.

Will I get stung?

Even with all the appropriate protective equipment, sooner or later you will get stung, if only through your gloves. It is an occupational hazard! With the proper bees and proper handling you should not be stung more than a couple times a year. If you are getting stung regularly then ask us for help!

I live in a town; will I be able to have the bees in my garden?

This is very often possible, even with very small gardens or on roof tops, but it is dependent on individual circumstances. Expert advice should be sought from experienced WDBKA members. If it is not feasible to have the bees in your garden, WDBKA has two ‘out apiaries’ just outside Winchester, where members can keep their bees. We are also regularly contacted by local landowners who are looking for people to keep bees nearby.