Beware of jumping on beekeeping bandwagon, says veteran apiarist

As moreAlbertans getstung with beekeeping fever, they're learning the hobby is not as sweet as it's cracked up to be.

Craig Toth, president of the Edmonton and District Beekeepers Association,saidmany people interested in keeping backyard beesare not aware of the grunt work involved with maintaining a healthy hive.

These small insects are a big responsibility, said Toth, who leadsworkshops for new permit holders on behalf of the city of Edmonton.

"When you first get into beekeeping, you think, 'Wow this is going to be super easy,' " Toth said in an interview with CBC Edmonton's Radio Active."It's an amazing hobby, it's great for pollination, you get free honey at the end of the year but it comes with a lot of responsibility and a lot of work.

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Beekeeping, especially in urban settings, has become more popular in recent years, and municipalities have been slowly loosening restrictionson urban hives.

In 2015, Edmonton lifted a ban onurban beekeeping. Fort Saskatchewanrecently launched a pilot project, and St. Albert is considering similar bylaw changes to allow for urban beekeeping.

But some people have become too eager get their hands in the honey, said Toth,who cares for more than 100 hives on the outskirts of his property north of St. Albert.

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For the uninitiated, it can be an overwhelming task, Toth said. Beekeepers must be prepared to undergo rigorous inspections and meet strict provincial registration criteria, depending on local bylaws.

Furthermore, beehive boxes which can weigh up to 80 pounds once fully cultivated with honeycomb, must been checked weekly for signs of disease and overcrowding. Overpopulation in the hives will lead to swarming, when bees will prepare a new queen beeand depart the hive en massein search of a new home.

The buzz of cultivating a colony can wear off quickly.

"It's a very hard job, a very heavy job and alsoany time you keep bees in a small area there is a concern for stings,"Toth said.

"Is that little boy next door allergic to bees? I myself, I'm highly allergic to honey bees, even though that's my fun time, but you have to be careful."

Disease is another concern.

There are plenty of parasites and infections which can invade honeybee populations. Testing must be done in spring and fall to ensure the hives remain infection-free, Toth said.

Most common among them is the varroa mite, a "nasty" parasite which attaches to the backs of the bees and feeds on their blood, and is nearly impossible to treat, Toth said.

'Is that little bit honey I'm going to get worth it?'

Toth said many novice beekeepers abandon the hobby after a single harvest due to the commitment and hours involved.

"A lot of beekeepers, once they start lifting those boxes and they're working in a hot bee suitand it's 25 degrees, all of a sudden you start thinking, is that little bit honey I'm going to get worth it?

"It's very similar to see what you see at Christmas, people will buy cats and dogs and rabbits, and then all of sudden, it's like 'Whoa, we have lots of work to do here.' "

Toth recommends would-be beekeepers do plenty of research before investing in the makings of a hive.

Most municipalities, including Edmonton, have introduced mandatory training for urban beekeepers, but there are plenty of mentorship programs available to the wider public, Toth said.

"That's a great way so you can actually see what you're getting into."