Keeping Bees

How to get started

The most common method is through another beekeeper. Some beekeepers sell hives or four frame nucs. Queen breeders sell queens and nucs.

Where to situate your bees

Some questions you may like to ask yourself before you start beekeeping are: Does the council permit beekeeping in an urban area? Some have by-laws that allow beekeeping until they become a problem. Will your neighbours object?

When to get bees

If you’re thinking about keeping bees, October is a great time to start. In October, hives are just starting to expand and early swarms could be issuing.

Registering your hives

If you keep bees and you live in New Zealand it is a legal requirement that you register your hive(s). Apiary sites must be registered with the Management Agency, through their contractor, AsureQuality Ltd.