There are many very interesting parts to beekeeping. You may have googled things like comb honey, rearing and selling queens, making wax candles, making colony splits, how much honey per hive to expect, etc. Oh and all the ads from equipment dealers for extractors, wax melters, and honey bottling tanks.
Of course, don’t ever stop learning about all aspects of these fascinating creatures, but if you are new to beekeeping and starting with your first hive(s), I strongly recommend you focus on one goal your first season. Goal: keep your bees healthy and you’ll especially want healthy bees going into winter in northern states such as Minnesota.
Learn all you can about honey bee diseases and pests. Become knowledgeable, learn how to prevent diseases, and know how and when control is needed. American Foulbrood, European Foulbrood, Chalkbrood, and Nosema are some of the diseases. Deformed Wing, Black Queen Cell, Acute Bee Paralysis, and Sacbrood are some viruses. Pests include Tracheal mites, Varroa mites, Small Hive Beetles, Wax Moths, Mice, Skunks, Wild Turkeys, and of course, Bears.
Ok, don’t let me scare you off by the long list. All animals get diseases – cats, dogs, birds, deer, cattle, butterflies, etc. To be a sussessful beekeeper you will need to learn how to recognize when your bees need your help. You can’t take your bees to the vet. You’ll have to treat them yourself.
In the last five years, I have seen Chalkbrood, Nosema, Deformed Wing Virus, Black Queen Cell, Varroa Mites, Small Hive Beetles, and Wax Moths in our hives. Every hive will have trouble with varroa mites sooner or later. You will need to check/test for varroa and treat if mite counts reach the threshold or else you will loose your bees. Therefore, if you focus on one bee issue your first season, it should be the varroa mite. I will address how to check and treat for varroa mites in future posts.
You will learn as you go. Try not to feel overwhelmed with keeping your bees healthy. Beekeeping has a high learning curve for everyone.