We always recommend any new beekeeper start off with a Beekeeping Suit. Once you become a little more experienced you can add a beekeeping jacket to your collection. Beekeeping Jackets are great for doing the smaller jobs on your hive!

What is a Ventilated Beekeeping Suit?

Ventilated Beekeeping Suits offer superior protection whilst maintaining air circulation keeping you cool during those hot summer months. Golbee's Ventialated Beekeeping Suits provide three layers of protection. This ensures you don't get stung whilst also letting you feel that cool summer breeze.

Will the colour of my Bee Suit affect my bees behaviour?

The simple answer is No! It is true that you will see most beekeepers wearing the colour white. However, this is mainly to keep the beekeeper cool. As you will remember in your science classes, lighter colours reflect heat better than darker colours.

Do I need Beekeeping Gloves?

You certainly should buy a pair of beekeeping gloves with your bee suit, especially as a new beekeeper. You may have seen videos online with beekeepers inspecting hives using their bare hands without any issues. You can be pretty sure they are getting stung. However, these more experienced beekeepers tend to have a lot higher pain threshold and feel the need to sacrifice a few stings in order to have better control and feel of their bees. This is why we designed Goldbee Beekeeping Gloves to give you complete protection whilst also keeping your hands nimble for those fiddly little jobs.

How to get Free Bees for Beekeeping?

When you're on a low budget and have the patience, you may want to catch your own swarm of bees to get started. A swarm of bees in the UK costs anything from £150.00 (excluding hives and equipment). So you could be saving a tidy sum if you decide to catch your own. The best time to catch a swarm is in Spring when bees are constantly swarming. A helpful tip is to get in contact with your local beekeeping association and request for a call back. They'll normally pass on the details, so you can arrange for collection. The following link is a beekeeping association based in the midlands where you can ask to be notified for swarms:- www.hsbka.org

To find the nearest beekeeping association to you, please check out The British Beekeepers Association. If you live across the pond (America) then you might want to look at Bee Source where you'll find a plenty of information.

What do you need when starting beekeeping?

• A hive with frames including foundation.

• Protective clothing such as a beekeeping suit, beekeeping gloves and suitable footwear.

• A bee smoker, fuel and a mini gas blow torch.

• A hive tool to remove frames and supers.

• A white sheet to place in front of the hive as you transfer bees from their travelling box.

• Lastly, you'll either need to order your bees from a reputable breeder or catch a swarm yourself.