Looking for beekeeping basics and sustainable beekeeping tips? We've compiled our top recommendations from our experience running our Montana apiary. 

How do you buy bees for a beehive?

When you're getting started with beekeeping, one of your first questions may be: where can I get my bees? You have two options, and, as with many things, the cheaper option is more accessible, and also more likely to fail. The more expensive option may be harder to acquire but has a higher likelihood of success.

Here’s a bit more in-depth information about acquiring bees, honeybee subspecies, and hives and equipment, to help you get started.

Package bees: Cheap and plentiful

Most beginning beekeepers start with package bees because packages are more readily available than “nucs” (a nucleus hive, discussed below). Packages can often be obtained through local feed stores or university programs. There’s often a waiting list, so if you want to start beekeeping in the spring, winter is the time to do your research and groundwork.

Bees typically come in 2 to 5 pound packages in a screened cage with a queen in her own separate cage.

Package bees are inherently riskier—up to half of packaged bee colonies fail. So you have to do more work and extra research to help them survive, especially in colder winter climates.

Challenges for package bees include

• Queen acceptance. The bees have to accept the queen over a matter of days—the time it takes for them to eat through the sugar stopper into her cage—and often she is not accepted.

• Colony establishment. The bees are not an established colony and haven’t yet learned to work together. In addition, packaging and travel—sometimes from long distances from a variety of different large apiaries—put additional stress on the group.

• Hive building. On new equipment without drawn-out combs, they have to build wax on the frames. It takes long enough for the bees to become established that they likely won’t yield a honey crop in the first year.

Nucleus hives: Local, established, and pricier

A nucleus (nuc) is basically a very small hive with 2-3 frames full of brood and bees and an established, laying queen. Nucs are typically purchased through a local beekeeper.

Starting with a nuc puts you ahead of the game. They are already established and ready to grow. They also have some reserves like pollen and honey to sustain a growing beehive, and have comb drawn out for the queen to start laying.

Nucs are less stressed but more expensive, and may be harder to find depending on where you live. If you're not far from Clark Fork Valley, here in Montana, check our seasonal nuc availability. 

Planning your first hive

Whether you're planning to start beekeeping in Montana or elsewhere, there are many considerations to create a healthy, successful hive. 

How many hives? More than one!

Novice beekeepers typically want to start with one hive, but we advise beginning with at least two or three hives. Often throughout the season, you need to move resources, like eggs or frames of honey. You'll need to take from one hive to give to another.

Additionally, different hives may perform quite differently over time. Having more than one gives you a basis of comparison if one hive is doing poorly, so you can make changes as needed.

What kind of bees should I get?

There are several different kinds of honey bees, including Italian, Carnolian, Russian, German, Caucasian, and Buckfast. Each has unique attributes (production volume, winter hardiness, aggressive/gentle natures, disease resistance, etc.). The right stock for you depends on your style, your environment, and your reasons for keeping bees. Educate yourself before buying.

Essential bee products for new beekeepers

In addition to choosing bee stock, you’ll need to decide how you want to keep bees and assess which essential bee products you'll need. There are a variety of hive styles to choose from (Langstroth, Warre, Top Bar), each with different qualities (manipulability, mobility, etc.). Learn more here. We use the Langstroth style, which is the most common.

Besides the woodenware (hives), there’s very little equipment needed to keep bees. That said, the following beekeeping products are essential to get started:

• Protective clothing
• Veil
• Gloves
• Smoker
• Hive tool
• (If you’re doing Langstroth, you’ll also need a feeder.)

In addition, you'll have to learn about common pests and diseases and decide how to treat them. Learn more about identifying and treating beekeeping problems. 

When can I expect honey from my new hive?

One of the most common questions from beginning beekeepers is: "When will I get honey?" The honest answer: probably not in your first year, and that's perfectly normal. When you're able to harvest your first batch of raw honey is dependent on many factors, but one critical one has to do with the bees you start with.

Package bees. Remember package bees need to focus their entire first season on survival, not surplus honey production. 

• They must: Build comb from scratch on empty frames
• Establish a laying pattern and build up their population
• Collect enough honey stores (60-80 pounds in Montana) to survive winter

Any honey they produce in year one should stay in the hive as their winter food. Harvesting from a first-year package colony is risky and can lead to starvation over winter.

Nucleus colonies. Nucs have a head start and may produce a small harvestable surplus in their first season if conditions are ideal—strong nectar flows, good weather, and rapid population growth. However, many beekeepers still choose to leave all honey with the colony to ensure they're robust going into their first winter.

Second year and beyond: By your second season, established colonies should produce surplus raw honey you can harvest, typically 30-60+ pounds per hive in a good year, depending on your location, forage availability, and management practices.

Think of your first year as an investment in building strong, healthy colonies. Your patience will be rewarded with thriving hives and abundant Montana wildflower honey in subsequent years.

Beekeeping in Montana

Source local nucs

When you're ready to purchase your bees, consider supporting a local Montana beekeeper or apiary rather than ordering packages from commercial suppliers. Local nucs from Montana apiaries offer several advantages beyond just supporting your community's economy.

Bees from local sources are already acclimated to Montana's climate, forage patterns, and seasonal rhythms. They've proven they can survive our harsh winters and thrive on western Montana's unique wildflower varieties—from knapweed and clover to dandelions and native plants that bloom throughout our short growing season.

Connect with local beekeepers

Working with a local beekeeper also gives you access to ongoing mentorship and support. We're invested in your success because healthy, thriving hives benefit our entire regional beekeeping community. 

Local beekeepers can provide Montana-specific advice about timing, forage availability, and winter preparation that generic online resources simply can't match. Many Montana beekeepers, including small apiaries like ours in the Clark Fork Valley, focus on treatment-free or minimal-intervention methods that produce healthier, more resilient colonies.

Montana-specific considerations

Our short growing season means bees have a limited window to build up their populations and gather enough honey stores for our long, cold winters. Western Montana's climate requires colonies to be exceptionally strong going into fall—weak hives simply won't survive until spring. However, Montana's abundant wildflower forage makes up for the short season.

Our bees have access to diverse nectar sources, including native wildflowers, clover, knapweed, dandelion, and Rocky Mountain flora that produce exceptional honey. When selecting your bee stock, prioritize winter-hardy breeds that can handle temperature swings and prolonged cold.

Sustainable beekeeping

As you embark on your beekeeping journey, remember that you're not just producing honey—you're supporting vital pollinator populations that our food systems and ecosystems depend on. Embrace sustainable beekeeping practices from the start. Avoid using pesticides or herbicides near your hives, and consider planting pollinator-friendly forage like native wildflowers, herbs, and flowering trees.

Practice integrated pest management rather than relying heavily on chemical treatments. Support your bees' natural behaviors and resilience rather than trying to control every aspect of the hive. By focusing on bee health and environmental stewardship, you'll help protect pollinators while building a more sustainable, ethical honey operation. Healthy bees mean healthy ecosystems—and that benefits everyone.

Beyond honey: other hive products

While honey is the star product most beginning beekeepers focus on, a healthy hive produces several other valuable bee products. Understanding what these other hive products are and how to use them is part of a sustainable beekeeping practice.

Propolis. Often called "bee glue," propolis is a resinous mixture bees collect from tree buds and use to seal their hive. It has remarkable antimicrobial properties and has been used for centuries in natural remedies and first aid applications.

Beeswax. This is another hive product that can be harvested during honey extraction or during comb management. Pure beeswax makes excellent natural candles, lip balms, lotions, and other body care products. 

Pollen. Pollen can be collected (though this should be done carefully to not deprive your bees). It is prized for its wellness and culinary uses.

Understanding the full range of hive products helps you appreciate the complexity of the beekeeping operation you're undertaking and may provide additional revenue streams as your apiary grows. 

Setting realistic expectations

Once you’ve decided to start your beekeeping operation, supply yourself with plenty of reliable beekeeping resources. In addition to the plethora of information on the internet, get some good books, join a local beekeeping club, and seek out mentors.

Beekeeping has become very popular, which is great. It’s fascinating and really fun! At the same time, there’s a steep learning curve. You’re going to make some mistakes. Be prepared for trial and error, and be willing to learn from it and try again. When we first began beekeeping, we stumbled quite a few times. Beekeeping now is nothing like it was 50 years ago. Keeping your colonies alive is a constant struggle, and losses can be heartbreaking, but it is a wonderfully rewarding hobby.

Be perseverant, and make sure you have the time and resources to be a conscientious beekeeper. It is important not to become a part of the problem. Strive to maintain healthy, happy hives, and enjoy the journey along the way!