The First Steps to Beekeeping: What We Actually Had to Do

Before you can keep bees, you have to prepare for bees.

Here’s what that looked like for us.

1. Painting the Hive Boxes
Bees don’t care about aesthetics, but weather matters. We painted the outside of our hive boxes (never the inside) with a light color to reflect heat and keep them protected from rain and sun. It’s also helpful for spotting mites or other pests.

2. Popping in the Frames
Each hive box needs frames where bees build their comb. These just slide into the box, but you have to make sure they’re straight so bees build properly. Crooked frames = chaos later.

3. Waxing the Frames
Some frames come pre-waxed. Ours didn’t. So we melted beeswax and brushed it onto the plastic foundations. This gives the bees a head start, kind of like giving them a blueprint for where to begin their work.

4. Making Sugar Water
When bees first arrive, there’s not always enough natural nectar around. So we made sugar water (a simple 1:1 ratio of white sugar and water, heated until dissolved) and filled their feeder. Think of it as a temporary welcome snack while they get settled and start foraging.

5. Buying an Electric Fence
One thing people don’t tell you: bears love bees. And honey. We live in New Hampshire, so we didn’t take any chances. We bought an electric fence to keep predators out and the hive safe. It was an investment, but cheaper than rebuilding a hive after a bear decides to “visit.”