How are bees so time consuming?

[yanks26]

I am new to beekeeping and dont understand why this is so time consuming. You only have to collect the honey and harvest it once a year. What else is there really to do?

I am not trying to make fun of it at all, this is my way of asking what else is done in between.

[iddee]

I know you aren't trying to make fun, and I'm not trying to be a smart---...

But it would take a 300 page book to answer your question. Let's just say that it's not the amount of time it takes, but when that time is needed. It seems that the bees always need attention at the most inopportune times. You will see as you get deeper into it.

[RayMarler]

I would say it would depend on how many hives you have and what you want out of them. I know a guy, he never does anything with them other than pull off a frame of honey now and then. He lets them bee. They swarm in spring, he retrieves the swarms and boxes them, and leaves them totally alone. Each winter he has some losses, each spring the survivors swarm and he boxes them. When he needs some honey he pulls off a few frames. He only has maybe 10 to 15 hives at the height of the season.

If you want to raise queens or make increase in hives from your own stock, it takes more time. If you want to harvest as much honey as possible which requires more hive management, then it takes more time. If you want to learn by looking into hives and seeing what's up and by trying different things as far as management techniques or try out different kinds of hardware, then it takes more time.

[asprince]

Good answer Ray.


Steve

[Michael Bush]

If all I raised was honey and all I did was minimal work to do so, it would be a lot less time consuming than it is.  As it is, I'm rearing queens.  I work from the time I get home from work until dark every night and Sat and Sun from 10:00 am or so until dark from March until September or so.