{"id":6600,"date":"2021-11-24T19:30:38","date_gmt":"2021-11-25T00:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beekeepingfornewbies.com\/?p=6600"},"modified":"2022-09-11T17:38:27","modified_gmt":"2022-09-11T21:38:27","slug":"what-does-a-beekeeper-do-beekeeper-jobs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beekeepingfornewbies.com\/what-does-a-beekeeper-do-beekeeper-jobs\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does A Beekeeper Do? | Beekeeper Jobs"},"content":{"rendered":"
Updated on September 11th, 2022<\/p>\n
Most people know that beekeepers harvest honey from bees kept in boxes. However, to get that honey, beekeepers need to do quite a few things. So, what does a beekeeper do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beekeepers manage honey bees housed in hives as a hobby or commercially. Keeping bees healthy, beekeepers harvest bee products such as honey and beeswax, among other things, for their use or for sale. Seasonal needs and the objectives and scope of a beekeeping operation determine specific beekeeping tasks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Honey bees function quite well without interference from a beekeeper. Bees build wax comb, raise brood, forage for nectar and pollen, make honey, and defend their turf. A beekeeper provides shelter, assists the bees when needed, and can manipulate the colonies to expand the apiary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This article discusses the job of beekeeping and how it may vary at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beekeepers are also called apiarists or apiculturists.<\/strong> Beehives are kept in an apiary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These \u201cbee\u201d related words derive primarily from the Latin apis <\/em>meaning “bee.”<\/strong> Honey bees are Apis millifera <\/em>or honey-bearing bees. An apiarium <\/em>is a \u201cbeehouse\u201d or apiary, also called a beeyard (or bee yard).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The word apiculture is partly derived from the Latin cultura <\/em>for \u201cgrowing\u201d (similar to \u201cagriculture\u201d). Thus, beekeeping is considered a form of agriculture or farming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As agricultural workers, beekeepers are considered \u201cessential workers\u201d in some jurisdictions (such as New Zealand<\/a>) as determined during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See our article Is Beekeeping Agriculture?<\/strong><\/a> for further explanation of how beekeeping is considered a farming activity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Beekeepers are often categorized as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The U. S. Department of Agriculture <\/a>estimates about 90% of US beekeepers are hobbyists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beekeepers in all these categories have the primary task of managing and caring for their bee colonies. With healthy colonies, beekeepers decide what hive products to harvest for either personal use (hobby beekeeper) or sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A beekeeper\u2019s primary job is to maintain the health and security of bee colonies to assure their productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A beekeeper:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In large commercial operations, beekeeping duties may be divided among individuals.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, recently, I saw a job posting for a beekeeper where the primary responsibilities were to oversee honey processing and various other administrative tasks. The job description required beekeeping knowledge but did not seem to include a lot of work in the hives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See this article for more information on how beekeepers manage their colonies<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I reviewed recent online job postings for beekeepers. Here is a sampling of tasks from the job descriptions<\/strong> (these are from multiple postings so some items may overlap):<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beekeeping tasks and their frequency vary widely based on the time of year and the condition of the colonies.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a backyard beekeeper, my most common daily task is strolling out to the beeyard, making sure the electric fence is active (to keep out bears), and observing the bees\u2019 activity even during peak honey season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a large commercial operation with hundreds of colonies, a beekeeper may need to inspect hives daily to cover all the hives over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hive inspections occur throughout the year<\/strong>. Every inspection involves assessing the health and condition of the colony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the frequency, objectives, and depth of inspections vary<\/strong>. For example, winter inspections are generally limited to making sure entrances are clear of snow, hives are not damaged, occasionally checking if bees need supplemental feeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See our article How To Inspect A Beehive<\/strong><\/a> to learn more about how a beekeeper goes into a hive.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\nWhat Is A Beekeeper Called?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Beekeepers Are Called Hobbyists, Sideliners Or Commercial Beekeepers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Is The Job Of A Beekeeper?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Does A Beekeeper Do Daily?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n