Beekeeping Guides, Reviews & Resources

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Getting Started

New to beekeeping? Start here. These guides cover everything you need to know before getting your first hive.

PILLAR

The Complete Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping

Everything you need to know before getting your first hive.

GUIDE

How Much Does Beekeeping Actually Cost?

Real numbers for your first year. No surprises.

GUIDE

Langstroth vs Top-Bar vs Warré Hives

Which hive type is right for you?

GUIDE

Your First Year Beekeeping: Month-by-Month

What to expect and when to expect it.

GUIDE

Packages vs Nucs vs Swarms: Getting Your First Bees

Pros, cons, and what we recommend.

HOW-TO

How to Install a Package of Bees

Step-by-step guide for your first installation.

HOW-TO

Your First Hive Inspection: Step-by-Step

What to look for and how often to check.

GUIDE

Is Beekeeping Right for You?

Honest assessment before you commit.

GUIDE

Beekeeping on a Budget

How to save money without cutting corners.

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How-To Guides

Practical, step-by-step instructions for essential beekeeping tasks.

HOW-TO

How to Feed Your Bees

When, what, and how much to feed.

HOW-TO

How to Harvest Honey

From hive to jar, step by step.

HOW-TO

How to Requeen a Hive

When and how to replace your queen.

HOW-TO

How to Split a Hive

Making increase from your existing colonies.

HOW-TO

How to Catch a Swarm

Free bees! Here's how to collect them safely.

HOW-TO

Setting Up Bait Hives

Attract free swarms to your property.

HOW-TO

How to Prevent Swarming

Keep your bees home where you want them.

HOW-TO

How to Mark a Queen

Queen marking techniques and the color system.

HOW-TO

How to Combine Hives

The newspaper method for merging colonies.

HOW-TO

How to Render Beeswax

Turn cappings into clean, usable wax.

HOW-TO

How to Move a Hive

Relocating hives safely without losing bees.

HOW-TO

How to Make Creamed Honey

Controlled crystallization for smooth, spreadable honey.

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Seasonal Care

What your bees need changes throughout the year. These guides help you stay on track.

SPRING

Spring Beekeeping Guide

The busiest season. Here's what to do.

SUMMER

Summer Beekeeping Guide

Heat, dearth, and keeping colonies strong.

FALL

Fall Beekeeping Guide

The most important season for next year's success.

WINTER

Winter Beekeeping Guide

What to do (and not do) when it's cold.

REFERENCE

The Beekeeper's Year: Complete Calendar

Month-by-month tasks all year long.

PRINTABLE

Hive Inspection Checklist

Print it. Use it every time you open a hive.

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Problems & Solutions

When things go wrong, you need answers fast. These guides help you diagnose and fix common issues.

CRITICAL

Varroa Mites: Complete Treatment Guide

The #1 colony killer. Learn to fight back.

IMPORTANT

Why Did My Bees Die? 9 Common Mistakes

First-year failures and how to avoid them.

TROUBLESHOOT

Queenless Hive: Signs & Solutions

How to tell if you've lost your queen.

TROUBLESHOOT

Laying Workers: Signs & Solutions

When workers start laying eggs.

PEST

Small Hive Beetles: Prevention & Treatment

A major pest, especially in the South.

PEST

Wax Moths: Signs & Solutions

Protect your comb and stored equipment.

TROUBLESHOOT

Robbing Behavior: Prevention & Solutions

When bees attack other hives for honey.

DISEASE

American Foulbrood: Identification

The most serious bee disease. Know the signs.

DISEASE

Chalkbrood: Identification & Management

Fungal disease in bee brood.

DISEASE

Nosema Disease: Symptoms & Treatment

Gut parasite affecting adult bees.

GUIDE

Understanding Bee Behavior

What your bees are telling you.

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Equipment Reviews

Honest reviews of beekeeping gear. We tell you what's worth the money and what to skip. These pages include affiliate links — here's how that works.

TOP PICK

Best Beekeeping Starter Kits

All-in-one kits compared and ranked.

REVIEW

Best Bee Suits Reviewed

Ventilated, cotton, jacket-only — which is best?

REVIEW

Best Bee Smokers

Don't buy a cheap smoker. Here's why.

REVIEW

Best Beekeeping Books for Beginners

Our top picks for learning off-screen.

REVIEW

Best Beekeeping Gloves

Leather, goatskin, or go bare?

REVIEW

Best Honey Extractors for Beginners

Manual vs electric, 2-frame vs 4-frame.

CRITICAL

Best Varroa Mite Treatments Compared

Oxalic, formic, thymol, and more.

REVIEW

Best Hive Beetle Traps

Keep those pests under control.

DEEP DIVE

Flow Hive Review: Is It Worth It?

The $700 question answered honestly.

REVIEW

Best Beekeeping Jackets

Jacket-only alternatives to full suits.

REVIEW

Best Bee Brushes

Soft vs firm, and when to use each.

✨

The Wonder of Bees

Mind-blowing facts about honeybees. Fall in love with these incredible creatures.

WONDER

How Bees Make Honey

The complete process from nectar to capped honey.

WONDER

The Waggle Dance Explained

How bees communicate location through dance.

WONDER

Types of Bees in a Hive

Queen, workers, and drones explained.

WONDER

Why Bees Are Important

Pollination, ecosystem role, and what you can do.

WONDER

Bee Anatomy Guide

Head, thorax, abdomen, and external features.

WONDER

The Bee Lifecycle

From egg to adult: the complete development.

WONDER

How Bees Make Wax

The amazing wax production process.

WONDER

History of Beekeeping

From ancient times to modern hives.

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Advanced & Business

Ready to take your beekeeping to the next level? Specialized guides and business resources.

ADVANCED

Queen Rearing Basics

Introduction to raising your own queens.

SPECIALIZED

Urban Beekeeping Guide

Keeping bees in the city.

PHILOSOPHY

Treatment-Free Beekeeping

The philosophy, methods, and trade-offs.

BUSINESS

How to Sell Your Honey

Local sales, pricing, and regulations.

BUSINESS

Selling at Farmers Markets

Display, pricing, customer interaction.

BUSINESS

How to Price Your Honey

Fair pricing that reflects your work.

GUIDE

Honey Varietals Guide

Clover vs buckwheat vs wildflower and more.

REFERENCE

Beekeeping Laws by State

Registration, setbacks, and limits.

RESOURCE

Bee-Friendly Plants by Region

What to plant to feed your bees.

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DIY Projects

Put your hive products to good use with these fun projects.

DIY

DIY Beeswax Lip Balm

Simple recipe, great gifts.

DIY

DIY Beeswax Candles

Beautiful candles from your harvest.

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Interactive Tools

Calculators, quizzes, and lookup tools to help you make informed decisions.

🤔 INTERACTIVE

Is Beekeeping Right for Me?

Take our quiz and find out if you're ready.

💰 CALCULATOR

First Year Cost Calculator

See what you'll actually spend getting started.

📜 LOOKUP

State Beekeeping Laws Lookup

Find regulations for your state quickly.