Beekeeping

Introduction to beekeeping

There are multiple reasons why people keep bees. Traditioanlly, beekeepers have managed colonies of honey bees (Apis Melliflera) to produce honey and other products, such as beeswax. However, increasingly, people are also keeping bees out of interest in these fantastic creatures, and because some people believe that it will help with the declining bee population.

Because the hives need relatively little space, keeping bees does not require you to own or rent land and can be done in a variety of environments, from urban rooftops to heather moorlands. It can also be combined with other types of farming, such as market gardening, with bee pollination boosting the yield of certain crops. 

Keeping bees is a form of livestock management and comes with legal responsibilities such as reporting suspicion of notifiable diseases, pests and ensuring you do not allow your bees to cause a public nuisance. It is important that all beekeepers are acquainted with their legal responsibilities, but also with the ethical management and responsible behaviour we expect from all beekeepers in Scotland, for the protection of the environment, bee health (wild and managed) and the public.

Managing colony health is a critical part of honey production and to sell honey, you will also need to comply with food safety regulations.  

Before setting up your hives, you should learn how to manage bees, your legal and ethical responsibilities, and get hands-on experience in beekeeping. As a starting point, you can look at the Scottish Beekeepers’ Association’s list of beginners’ training courses or find a local beekeeper to speak to through your local association. The National Bee Unit website, BeeBase, also provides a wealth of information for beekeepers, including legal requirements, diseases, pests and medicine usage.