There are actually quite a few different bee species out there in the world these days, and in fact there exist nearly 20,000 types of bees which can be recognized by observing the type of hive they have, the social characteristics they portray, their behavior and other key features.
Bumblebees
One of the most common and well known bee species is the bumblebee. They are large and hairy, and generally colored yellow and black. The colonies can flourish for many years if they are in the right environment, which would be tropical areas.
They typically live in deserted holes that have been made and left by rodents and other small animals, and they can thrive in temperate areas in North America.
Carpenter Bees
Another bee species that most people are aware of is the carpenter bee. These bees have metal-like, black color and no yellow marks, which is the most distinguishing feature between these bees and bumblebees.
They are unable to prepare wax, which is another very noticeable difference, and from flower to flower they can travel quite long distances.
Honeybees
Everyone has seen the next bee species before ? the honeybee. These bees are quite small in size, and they are generally black but often other colors as well, such as a brown yellow. These bees are very social and have a queen bee who they work to protect and serve.
The job of the bees is to collect nectar from flowers and then store the honey, feed the hive, and make sure that the queen bee is safe and well protected.
Parasitic Bees
One bee species that many people have not heard of is the parasitic bee species. These bees do not search for food or build nests on their own, but rather use the nests and food of other bees. The reasons for this are unknown, but they can definitely be a threat in that they are stealing the food and homes of other bees.
The eggs or larvae of the host female are killed by the parasitic female or her larvae, and females of parasitic bees do not have pollen brushes or pollen baskets. Digger Bees
There are also the digger bees, which are bees that have long tongues and which fly very fast. This is one of the most distinguishable features between these and other bees, and they are considered as being part of the digger bee family.
These are just a few of different species of bee that exists, and there are quite a few more that anyone interested in learning about bees would want to be aware of.
Bee Keeping is the practice of maintaining honey bee colonies in hives. A beekeeper is also called an apiarist and he keeps bees so that he can collect honey and beeswax. Sometimes beekeepers keep bees for sale to other beekeepers. The place where Bee Keeping is done is called an apiary.
Hobby
Since honey bees are one of the most popular and economically beneficial insects they are commonly kept in apiaries in the United States. Though many beekeepers make a living by Bee Keeping, most of them are hobbyists. They just have a few hives and are simply fascinated by these insects and enjoy working with them.
Castes Of Honey Bees
There are basically three castes of honey bees, the workers, the drones and the queen bees. The workers basically do all the work of the colony of bees, and a colony may have as many as sixty thousand workers. The drones are the male bees and they fly from the hive and mate in the air with queens from other colonies. The queen is a fully fertile female specialized for producing eggs.
Site For Hives
It is easy to keep honey bees anywhere, where there are flowering plants which produce nectar and pollen. For Bee Keeping the site to be chosen should be sheltered from winds and it is better if it is partly shaded. It is advisable to avoid low spots in a yard, where the air is cold and damp in winter.
You have to be considerate towards your non- Bee Keeping neighbors. Your hives should not be where the bee flight paths cross sidewalks, playgrounds or other public areas. Give your bees a water source in your yard so that the bees are not attracted towards swimming pools.
Equipment
Use traditional equipment for Bee Keeping. You can buy it ready made from many Bee Keeping Equipment dealers either from shops or from websites. If you make your own bee hives, you must reproduce the dimensions exactly. There are many compartments and covers which follow a definite pattern. Use good oil base paint for exterior wooden parts.
How To Start
To start off with your Bee Keeping, it is easiest to buy two established colonies from a known local beekeeper. Another way is to buy packaged bees and queens and transfer them into new equipment. A third possibility is by finding and installing swarms.
Honey
Honey Bee management is not an easy task. The management is generally based on natural nectar flows. Beekeepers want their colonies to reach maximum strength before the nectar flows begin. In this way, the bees store the honey as surplus which can be harvested by the beekeeper.
Processing honey is the result of the Bee Keeping process. The hobbyist has to invest in the honey extracting equipment, because it is specialized. Sometimes used equipment is also available. The amount of honey that is produced shows the fruits of good Bee Keeping.
Charlie Reese has sinced written about articles on various topics from Psychic Readings, Wedding Gowns and Wedding Bells. Charlie Reese has been studying about bees for years now and as well enjoys getting a unique by reliable. Charlie Reese's top article generates over 673000 views. to your Favourites.