A beekeeping business is a profitable enterprise, knowing that a lot of people and even big industries heavily depend on it. People will always look for honey. However, handling a bee farm, no matter how big or small it is, can be a challenge. At first, you may be anxious about being stung. There may also be some occasions where you are afraid that the bees will escape and scatter. It is normal to have such apprehensions, but you can always curb these through the right protocols and safety rules.
It is your obligation to keep the bees from moving around and reaching your employees, your family, and even your neighbours. This may be quite a challenge for many newbie beekeepers. You may be confused about where you should start. If you are looking for some ways you can make beekeeping much safer, here are the things you should keep in mind.
Get the right protective clothing
The fear of getting stung can be strong, and there is a good reason behind it: bee stings can be very painful. But know that it is possible to work without getting stung. For your safety, the first thing that you need to do is to get the right protective gear. You may want to go simple with just a veil or a shirt with long sleeves, but if you want full protection, getting a beekeeper suit is recommended.
Use a deterrent when inspecting hives
Now that you feel much safer in a beekeeper suit, you might want to up the protection by using deterrent when inspecting hives. For many experienced beekeepers, a beehive smoker will always work. The smoke coming from it can easily control and pacify bees. The smoke can efficiently keep a colony’s defences from being activated. Just be careful when using a smoker, as it may cause fires and burns.
Stay scentless
Never use sweet-smelling perfumes (or any scent for that matter), as the odours may attract bees. When bees smell something sweet, such as bananas, they may roam to investigate and find out where the scent is coming from. In the same context, you should not eat any sweet-smelling fruit prior to your hive inspection, as the bees may detect the scent.
Place some signs
If you are running a large beekeeping facility and you have lots of employees, it makes sense that you put up signs and labels to avoid dangers. This is particularly important when it comes to the handling of materials. When you are inspecting hives, a sign telling everyone that your operations are taking place will be helpful.
Beekeeping is not an easy business. There are lots of times and occasions when you would feel that your bees could escape at any moment. You may also be always anxious about getting stung. While these fears and stressful thoughts are normal, there are always ways you can make your business much safer — not just for you but also for your employees, family, and neighbours. The golden rule here is you have to make safety simple.
