How much do apiaries cost?

The initial cost of beekeeping can be intimidating to new beekeepers. You will need to invest in supplies such as a hive, proper protective clothing, a smoker, and hive tool. As of this writing, a single new hive may cost about $150, clothing and gear may cost about $160, and a package of new bees may run $125 to $150.

How many apiaries are in an acre?

Average bee hive densities (hives per acre) recommended for crops grown in the USA range from 1-7. Most crops that benefit from honey bees require 2-3. Recommended numbers have inched upwards in recent years because of a drop in wild honey bee densities.

Can you have honey bees in Ohio?

Based upon Ohio Law, honey bee colonies are considered to be an agricultural pursuit and can be maintained anywhere in Ohio as long as the beekeeper/owner complies with all of the Apiary Laws and Rules.

How do I become a beekeeper in Ohio?

All beekeepers must register their hives with the state of Ohio and pay a $5 fee. Information is available on the Greater Cleveland Beekeepers Association website or on the state’s website. Beekeepers in the city of Cleveland must apply for a free two-year license through the Department of Public Health.

How close to a house can you keep bees?

Even though each case is different, we can use some general estimates of a safe distance to be from the hive. For a honey bee colony with a calm temperature, give yourself at least 4 feet of clearance behind the hive and on each side if possible. At the hive entrance, an area of 25 feet is the best minimum.

How far apart should apiaries be?

That being said, you will want to maintain a minimum distance of 3 miles between apiaries to reduce robbing events (when bees from one apiary attack and steal honey from another apiary). This amount of separation will also cut down on the spread of pathogens and pests between apiaries.

How many acres do you need for a beehive?

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).

Do I need permission to keep bees?

You may need a special permit, or they may be completely banned. Depending on where you live, you could be able to set up a hive in your yard without asking for permission from anyone. In other places you might need to notify or even get permission from your neighbors before you can start.