- A beekeeper is someone who works with bees, cultivates honey, beeswax and pollen and takes care of beehives for various commercial or scientific enterprises. A beekeeper does not control the bees in the hives; he simply owns the hives that the bees naturally live in, but they are free to come and go as they please. Depending on the number of beehives owned, the beekeeper can either be classified as a hobby beekeeper or a commercial beekeeper. The main difference is that the hobbyist keeps bees more as a pastime, whereas the commercial beekeeper seeks to make a profit from his efforts. A commercial beekeeper may own and maintain up to 50,000 hives or colonies.
- A beekeeper spends a typical workday collecting honey, royal jelly and beeswax from the various bee colonies in his possession. He also arranges for sales of these items with farmers, other beekeepers and various other buyers. Taking care of the hives is a major part of the workday and involves checking them for other insects, parasites, birds, mice and other types of intruders that may disrupt the natural life cycle of the honey bees. Other duties include identifying and destroying diseased beehives that are a threat to the other hives in the colony.
- Most people interested in becoming beekeepers must complete apprenticeships with professional beekeepers. Beekeeping courses may be offered by some vocational colleges, however, hands-on training with a professional and established beekeeper is one of the best ways to gain knowledge and experience and to establish a position in the business. It is also helpful to obtain a degree in biology or entomology in order to gain some insight on the nature and the biology of bees and other insects.
