Can you raise bees in Missouri?

Missouri Apiculture Law(opens in new window) (Chapter 264, Missouri Revised Statutes) provides for inspection of honey bees upon request. Out-of-state beekeepers are required to have inspections done before bringing honey bees or equipment into Missouri.

Which are better Italian or carniolan bees?

However, despite the seemingly general consensus that Carniolans winter better, we have had a better success rate with Italian honey bees. That said, most of the time you can’t go wrong using Carniolan bees. They are quite gentle and get a nice early start in the spring.

Can you start a hive with just a queen?

You can start a hive with only a mated queen. That mated queen will die but you will still have your hive. What you need is a colony of bees with a queen to place in the hive to become a working organism using the hive you provided for them.

When should I start a beehive in Missouri?

Once your supplies arrive and everything is set up, it’s time to begin beekeeping. Shantz Hart says March or April is usually the best time to set up a hive because bees are most active in late spring and early summer. Though bees are active all year round, their activity declines in July.

Is bee keeping tax deductible?

Also, keep in mind that your mileage and other beekeeping expenses will be fully deductible only if your activity qualifies as a business. The IRS will presume it is a business if you earn a profit any three out of five years. But, if you keep incurring losses, the IRS might claim the activity is a hobby.

Can you put a Russian queen with Italian bees?

Yes, you can re-queen an Italian colony or Carniolan colony with a Russian queen but the process requires attention and skill. Introducing a Russian queen is more difficult than other honeybee races.

How long do Italian honey bees live?

The worker bees will only live for about six weeks, but the queen may live for several years, all because of the food they were fed while growing as larva.

How many bees to should I buy to start a hive?

The average backyard hobbyist should always start with 2 or more. Why? With two hives, you can compare the hives to each other. Usually if both hives are acting the same way, it is a normal bee “thing”.

Do bees overwinter well in Missouri?

The most common cause of colony demise in Missouri is winter starvation. Going into winter, a strong hive with five full frames of bees per brood box that contains a healthy queen and a minimal number of varroa mites will give the bees an excellent chance of survival.

How do I attract bees to my hive?

How to Attract Bees To a New Hive in 5 EASY Steps

1. Determine When Swarm Season Is.
2. Buy Or Build A Bait Hive. Use An Old Hive. Build A Bait Hive. Swarm Traps.
3. Apply The Lure.
4. Position Your Bait Box.
5. Wait For The Bees To Move In.

How many bee hives can you have per acre?

How many colonies per acre? Our current recommendation is to have between 2 and 3 hives per acre. In orchards studied by researchers at UC Davis, when the weather was poor, orchards having 3 hives per acre had significantly better nut set (24% of blooms) than orchards having only 1.7 hives per acre (14.8% of blooms).