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Beekeeping in Northern Climates <br />Where to Buy Equipment <br />Ɣ %ULFNDQGPRUWDUEHHNHHSLQJVWRUHVDOORZ\RXWRVHHDQGKDQGOHZKDW\RXDUHEX\LQJEHIRUH\RX <br />purchase it. <br />Ɣ 2QOLQHVWRUHVDQGPDLORUGHUFDWDORJVPD\KDYHEHWWHUSULFHVDQGRUVHOHFWLRQEXW\RXPD\QHHGWR <br />add the shipping costs. <br />Ɣ Used equipment can be purchased but be very careful to dispose of all the wax combs to prevent <br />disease transmission and to eliminate any pesticide residue. We strongly recommend that beginning <br />EHHNHHSHUVVWDUWZLWKQHZHTXLSPHQWLISRVVLEOH <br />$OLVWRIUHJLRQDOEHHNHHSLQJVXSSOLHUVLVRQRXUZHEVLWHZKHUHXSGDWHGLQIRUPDWLRQZLOOEHOLVWHG <br />=XPQHGXEHHOLQNV <br />SELECTING AN APIARY SITE <br />Around Your Hive <br />Ɣ Accessibility at all times is crucial. It is best to be able to reach the apiary with a vehicle. Sometimes <br />\RXZLOOQHHGWRPRYHKHDY\HTXLSPHQWLQDQGRXWRIWKHDSLDU\,INHHSLQJEHHVRQDURRIWRSFRQVLGHU <br />accessibility, your ability and willingness to haul heavy equipment up and down, and personal safety. If <br />NHHSLQJFRORQLHVRQDURRIWRSKDYHDJRRGVWDLUVRUHOHYDWRUDQGSODFHKLYHVZHOODZD\IURPWKHURRI <br />edge so you do not fall off the roof. Strap your colonies down with ratchet straps and provide them with <br />DZLQGEUHDN <br />Ɣ 1HFWDUDQGSROOHQPXVWEHDYDLODEOHZLWKLQÀ\LQJGLVWDQFH PLOHV RIWKHDSLDU\0RVWDUHDVLQ <br />Minnesota have enough varied plants available to support one or two colonies, except in highly wooded <br />areas such as the Boundary Waters. <br />Ɣ :DWHUPXVWEHDYDLODEOHZLWKLQPLOHRIWKHDSLDU\WKURXJKRXWWKHDFWLYHEHHVHDVRQ,I\RXDUHLQDQ <br />urban setting you should provide water on your own property so the bees don’t go searching for water <br />DQGSRWHQWLDOO\ERWKHU\RXUQHLJKERUV<RXFDQKDYHDELUGEDWKSURYLGHDFKLFNHQZDWHUHURUVLPSO\ <br />XVHDSDQEXWPDNHVXUHWKHFRQWDLQHUDOZD\VKDVZDWHULQLW<RXVKRXOGDOVRSODFHVWRQHVFRUNV <br />or something similar in the water to give the bees a place to land. They cannot swim in or hover over <br />ZDWHUWRGULQN <br />Ɣ 5HVSHFW\RXUQHLJKERUV.HHS\RXUEHHVRXWRIKLJKWUDI¿FDUHDV,IWKH\DUHEHKLQGDSULYDF\IHQFHRU <br />KHGJH LHDÀ\ZD\EDUULHU WKH\ZLOOÀ\XSRYHUWKHEDUULHUDQGQRWERWKHUSHRSOH <br />Beekeeping in Northern Climates <br />Water <br />Bees need water throughout the spring and <br />fall. It is important that they have access to <br />a continuous source of water within a short <br />À\LQJGLVWDQFHIURPWKHKLYH QRPRUHWKDQ <br />PLOHDZD\ 7KHEHHVQHHGWRVWDQGRQD <br />VXUIDFH HJVDQG\RUSHEEO\EDQNVRISRQGV <br />ODNHVDQGULYHUV)LJXUH WRVXFNXSZDWHU <br />Biology <br />Box <br />ZLWKWKHLUWRQJXH SURERVFLV 7KH\REWDLQVRPHVDOWVDQGPLQHUDOV <br />from natural sources of water, so prefer ponds over chlorinated <br />water, but they will use both. Bees do not forage for water during <br />the winter months. <br />)LJXUH%HHVGULQNLQJIURPD <br />SXGGOH SKRWRE\-HVVLFD+HOJHQ