Involving Family and Friends in Beekeeping

Beekeeping is enjoyed by individuals everywhere and, for many, represents an escape from the pace and troubles of daily life. It has a peacefulness that is very relaxing.

Beekeeping can also be enjoyed with others. Indeed, PerfectBee recommends trying to bring others into the fold – beekeeping can be tremendous fun when family or friends are involved.

But how, exactly, can others be engaged in your hobby? Here we uncover seven personas you might just find if you look around you!

The Supportive Gardener

This is the neighbor who really isn’t sure about what you are doing, but is interested and eager to help! Part of your discussion with her was to inform her of the wonderful advantages bees will offer the floral beauty around her house. This captures her attention and she asks about how she can help.

That’s an easy question for you to answer since you know all about the honey flow. She is thrilled to learn that if she plants “strategically”, her garden could be aglow with color, through the year, thanks to your bees.

You also inform her of the dangers of pesticides and she’s happy to consider more bee-friendly ways to treat her garden. After all, the bees will be doing their part.

The Distant Observer

The wide-eyed friend who has always wondered about bees but has absolutely no idea where to start (until you recommended PerfectBee, of course!). He’s always wondered what it would be like to keep bees.

When you install your beehive, he wants to watch. Indeed, he’s there to watch and help when you set up your hive, a few days before you collect your bees.

On the big day, though, he really isn’t quite as comfortable to venture close to the hive, though he will in due course. As you introduce your package of bees, he just watches from about 30 feet away (reducing to 25, then 20 as his comfort increases). He may well evolve into…. the fascinated helper.

The Bee Photographer

She’s like the distant observer – but with an awesome zoom lens! She offers to capture that special moment, as you introduce your first bees to your first beehive. She sets up her tripod and, for her, this is a big production! She makes sure you wear a remote mic to capture your excitement – and your nerves!

Eventually, as she becomes more comfortable, she comes close enough that the zoom lens becomes less necessary. In fact, she is starting to think of how she might put that expensive macro lens to good use! In time, her distant curiosity develops into a fascination with extreme closeup photography of bees, which provides an amazing array of opportunities for her.

The Fascinated Helper

He’s just all in! He doesn’t just want to learn a little more. He wants to help as much as possible and gets a real kick out of being so close to the bees. You have extra beekeeping protective clothing for just this eventuality – and he can’t wait to suit up.

When he watches, what you show him blows his mind. So many bees and they are casually carrying on with their business even as you remove a frame. Soon enough, he wants to do that and you have some great pictures of him with a frame at eye level, fascinated by thousands of bees.

He eventually helps find the queen and feels he’s really contributing to the inspection. This all leads to regular involvement with your hives, as he is eager to participate in each inspection.

The Budding Scientist

She’s only 12 and is doing great at school, in science. She loves the natural world, has environmentally friendly persuasions, and grabs any chance she can to study animals and insects. As soon as you mention your bees, she just wants to know so much more. A quick check with her parents and you have her throwing on her protective gear, though it’s a tad large, though it need not be with the advent of kids’ bee suits!

She plots the progress of your bees from the start. She sees the eggs (better than you, given your not-quite-so-great eyesight!). She tracks brood over a few inspections and gets a real kick out of seeing a worker bee emerge from her cell, while she holding up a frame.

Eventually, she turns all this learning into a fantastic science project at school.

The Honey Harvester

Bees are cool but this guy loves honey even more! Frankly, the harvesting of honey is a mini-hobby unto itself.

Your honey-harvesting friend doesn’t mind applying a little elbow grease – but does have an expectation of a jar or two at the end!

The Beekeeping Buddy

She’s your beekeeping partner. She doesn’t just want to participate. Her interest becomes so intense that she just can’t resist and soon she’s asking all sorts of questions about how you got started.

She gets very involved, including participating in inspections and learning a lot about what your bees are doing.

Eventually, she can’t resist anymore. She gets her own beehive and can’t wait to show you. You continue to learn together and even help each other out when hives get into trouble.

When it comes to harvesting honey, you decide to split the cost and invest in some fancy equipment that you can share.