IN THIS HOW-TO GUIDE, WE WON’T BE TALKING ABOUT THE BIRDS, JUST THE BEES.
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More specifically, the bees in Gillian Hall’s backyard.
Backyard beekeeping is a hobby many are buzzing about lately, and one that Gillian has become quite skilled in.
As you enter her Tatura home, the chorus of 40,000 wings rapidly flapping to and from a flow hive harmonises into a collective hum.
It’s soothing, almost mesmerising.
“I like to come out here on a summer’s night when it’s warm, watch the honey pour out, and listen,” she said.
Since Gillian was once a nervous “newbee” herself, we asked her for tips on how others can get started.
Taking the sting out of starting
Flow hive
For beginners, a flow hive is the bee’s knees. This innovative system features boxes with wooden frames laced with honeycombs.
“For novice beekeepers, a flow hive is so easy to use ... and for your backyard, it’s perfect; it doesn’t take up too much space,” Gillian said.
Protective equipment
Beekeeping suits are white for good reason: bees don’t like dark colours. If you wear black, you are more likely to get stung. The suits should fit comfortably, allowing a range of motion, and include a mesh face mask and gloves.
Apiary tools
Key tools for maintaining a beehive include the hive tool (or J-tool), used for cleaning and lifting hive components, and a smoker, which keeps bees calm during inspections.
Honey, I’m home
The most common ways to start a new colony are through catching a swarm or splitting a hive if you already have one. Gillian’s bees were found through Facebook.
A local had posted about a swarm taking up residence in a couch in their front yard and called for someone to remove it. Gillian answered that call.
“We call them couch bees, and that’s why they’re so relaxed,” she chuckled.
Now let’s get in flow-mation
With a flow hive, you can harvest honey right into your jar. It’s one-frame-at-a-time harvesting method offers greater convenience, enabling beekeepers to extract honey straight from the hive without opening it.
“At the end of October, we did our first pool of honey, and we got about 10kg that day,” Gillian said.
“Then, we emptied all the frames in the first week of December, and got 30kg of honey.”
What does one do with this mind-boggling churn of honey?
For Gillian, it’s a golden opportunity to share with friends and family.
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