Resources
Beginner Beekeeping Checklist
Work through this list before the bees arrive — then again after your first week. Everything here links to a full guide.
Learn & Plan
- ☐ Take a beginner beekeeping course
- ☐ Join the local beekeeping association and find a mentor
- ☐ Check zoning, permits, and registration requirements
- ☐ Confirm no household allergy to bee stings
- ☐ Read the Beekeeping 101 learning path
Buy the Essentials
- ☐ Hive kit (boxes, frames, foundation, cover, bottom board)
- ☐ Bee suit or jacket with veil
- ☐ Gloves (a leather pair and nitrile pair)
- ☐ Smoker and fuel
- ☐ Hive tool — see the essential list
Set Up the Hive
- ☐ Assemble and paint the hive well before pickup day
- ☐ Place it level: morning sun, afternoon shade, clear flight path
- ☐ Provide a water source with pebbles
- ☐ Order bees (package or nuc) — buying bees explained
First Week After Install
- ☐ Leave the colony alone for about a week
- ☐ Feed syrup (1:1) in a feeder
- ☐ Check the entrance: bees flying, normal activity
- ☐ Start your logbook with dates and notes
- ☐ Learn how to run an inspection
Pro tip: export or print this page and tick items off with a pencil at the apiary — the pencil won't die in the rain like a phone will.