If you had to give me just one piece of advice........

[buzz bee]

Start saving! It'll be alot more expensive that you thought it was going to be.

 

[oliver90owner]

Stop and think before you make a mistake.

(rather like MA in post #15, really.)

RAB

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Estimate how much time you think you will need to spend on your bees. Then triple it.

 

[Alabamaeee]

Don't stand in front of your hive, otherwise they get confused, and can't find their home, so you end up with a bee overcoat

Makes them angry too. According to physics they shouldn't be be able to fly anyway, but most are coming in after a long flight with full cargo, and are not in the mood to do circuits while waiting to find/land on their runway

 

[Pete D]

Be prepared for the lows amongst all the highs when things dont seem to be as under control as you first thought.
Buy some sting relief cream

 

[Drew]

Listen to all advice - then make your own mind up.

ie Whatever you do, do it because its what you think is right not JUST because someone else says so.
(You may be wrong but thats a different issue)

 

[Rosti]

One piece of advice?

Hope for the best, plan for the worst. In other words dress to protect yourself at a level you can confidently work the bees under any circumstances. For now don't worry about impressing others.

The learned views of others, who claim use of minimal protection, become rather less compelling when you are nursing multiple stings.

 

[thedeaddiplomat]

Enjoy your first year as a beekeeper secure in the knowledge that the second year will be infinitely worse. (And then, during the second year, cling on to the fact that things will get better in the third year).

 

[Headnavigator]

Find yourself a 'bee-buddy' and do paired inspections; two pairs of eyes will find the queen and spot sneaky QCs, talk through what you are doing as you inspect, it'll clarify your thinking and observations no end, and The buddy will be an extra memory afterwards. Best of, he/she can keep your smoker going and to hand instead of dead in the grass the minute you actually need it!
And you can do the same for them.

 

[madasafish]

Get stung first so you can see if bee stings are either a minor nuisance or a no go.
Plan on 30-50 stings/year and hope for less.

 

[Nose Ma]

Don't be afraid to make mistakes, but try to make each one only once.

Fear of mistake often leads to inaction, inaction can be a mistake in itself!

 

[Skyhook]

a) Buy a good suit, and trust it. That will give you the confidence to stay calm if the bees don't.

b) Everything everyone else said.

 

[Ellem]

Keep an open mind and a calm head where possible

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Read as many good Beekeeping books as you can get your hands on.
Then go out and put it in to practice, but if you find yourself with problems that you are unsure about, come here and ask, the people here are more than willing to help.
Good luck.

Brian.

 

[Headnavigator]

Request - not advice: in a year's time tell us which was the most useful bit of advice - then we'll follow it too!

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Go and watch/work with as many beekeepers as possible and keep your mind open.


There's plenty of highs and lows with beekeeping but stick with it!

 

[Andre cardona]

avoid top bar hives like the plague

wot up with top bee hives

 

[beeatshellards]

my advice is dont open the bees just because, ..... open them up only for a reason

 

[keith pierce]

Dont try to invent a new hive or write a book on beekeeping

 

[Ed Woods]

Go on an Apiary tour with your local association - meet large quantities of bees in various moods so you get used to swarmy angry bees flying around and covering you - so the first time your hive spews out thousand of bees during an inspetion you wont panic.