Calculators3 min
Beekeeping Startup Cost Calculator: What the First Year Costs, Hive by Hive
Per-hive and one-time costs for the first year, with every default priced from a named supplier or listing on October 9, 2026.
Topic
Beginners
9 guides.
Guides
Hives10 min
Best Beehives for Beginners (2026): Langstroth Woodenware for a First Colony
Seven Langstroth hives for a first colony, compared on boxes and frames included, finish, dimensions and what the extension guides say a beginner needs.
Hives12 min
Best Beekeeping Starter Kits of 2026: What Each Box Holds and What It Leaves Out
Six kits from Hoover, Honey Lake, Mann Lake, Dadant and Betterbee, compared on what is in the box, what is not, assembly and price.
Hives6 min
Flow Hive vs Langstroth: What You Pay For and What You Still Have to Do
Price, contents, harvest, inspections, compatibility and warranty, with Flow's claims labelled as Flow's and the extension view of what a beginner needs.
Bee Health & Seasons5 min
How Many Hives to Start With: Why Extension Says Two, and What It Costs
Why two hives beat one, what the second costs, spacing and layout, and the state registration rules we found.
Bee Health & Seasons6 min
How to Install a Package or a Nuc: The Extension Method, Step by Step
Package and nuc installation from the extension guides: the queen cage, the candy plug, feeding, the four-day check and what to have ready.
Calculators3 min
Sugar Syrup and Feeding Calculator: 1:1 and 2:1 by Weight, Gallons to Pounds
Pounds and cups of sugar for any batch of 1:1 or 2:1 syrup, with the extension rules for when each ratio is fed and when to stop.
Bee Health & Seasons5 min
Where to Buy Bees and Beekeeping Equipment: Packages, Nucs and Suppliers
Packages, nucs and local bees, the four suppliers and Amazon, when to order, and the state registration rules we found.
Laws & Data4 min
Do You Have to Register Your Beehives? Rules and Fees in All 50 States
25 states and DC make every beekeeper register, three more above a colony count. Check your state's deadline and fee, with the law linked.