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Beekeeping in Nevada: Everything you need to know.
Here’s our guide to keeping bees in Nevada.
- Can I put a beehive in my backyard in Nevada?
- The benefits of beekeeping in Nevada
- How many acres do you need for honeybees?
- Registering beehives in Nevada
- The challenges of beekeeping in Nevada
- Keeping bees in hot temperatures
- How do I become a beekeeper in Nevada?
Mention Nevada and many people will think of casinos, bright lights, nightlife, and spectacular deserts. But what about bees? Nevada’s unique ecosystem lends itself to the production of delicious desert wildflower honey, while urban beekeeping has been blooming in the Silver State’s towns and cities. If you’re curious about what it takes to become a Nevada beekeeper, this guide will get you buzzing with excitement.
Can I put a beehive in my backyard in Nevada?
Whether on a Las Vegas rooftop, a desert ranch, or in a suburban backyard, Nevada is a great place to keep bees. Beekeeping is a wonderfully rewarding activity that allows you a fascinating glimpse into the world of a superorganism – the bee colony.
In the video below, Karah explains how her Flow Hive has been an excellent addition to her garden and beekeeping has become a family favorite activity. Her garden gets a great pollination boost and harvesting delicious honey straight from the hive is a sweet reward.
The benefits of beekeeping in Nevada
Nevada is a great place to keep bees. The state has a network of beekeeping associations that support new beekeepers. Urban gardens and community plots in Nevada towns and cities provide bees with nectar to feed on and are hugely important sources of food for other pollinators too. Thanks to the efforts of local beekeepers, Carson City became Nevada’s first Bee City in 2018. This means that the city will work towards providing habitat protection and implement policies to help conserve bees and other pollinators.
Beekeepers in Nevada can take advantage of the unique desert flora to produce specialist, sought-after honey. Monofloral honey that can be produced in Nevada includes mesquite, alfalfa, clover, and sourwood honey. Desert wildflower honey is a popular and versatile choice that can fetch a premium price.
Nevada flowers. Clockwise from top left: alfalfa, clover, mesquite & sourwood*(source: Msact/Wikimedia Commons).
There’s no end to the benefits of keeping bees, whether it’s to start a honey business, provide a pollination service, get in touch with nature, find a new hobby, or any combination of these factors. While beekeeping in Nevada involves effort and perseverance, the pros most definitely outweigh the cons.
How many acres do you need for honeybees?
You really don’t need much space to keep bees, especially if you choose a Flow Hive. The all-in-one harvesting system eliminates the need for expensive and bulky extraction equipment. You just need a little space for the hive, it’s not necessary to have a big yard or garden. See how Terence turned his Las Vegas backyard into an oasis of calm.
Using a Flow Hive is a great way to isolate the unique flavors in the flowering plants of Nevada. The honey can be extracted frame-by-frame, giving you raw, unfiltered honey that doesn’t get blended like many commercial honeys.
With excellent customer support and special features such as the pest management tray and unique observation windows, the Flow Hive is an awesome choice for first-time beekeepers. The revolutionary honey harvesting system that allows you to take honey straight from the hive without disturbing the bees has been a huge hit in the beekeeping world. It’s become a favorite addition to established apiaries and has inspired thousands to take up this wonderful hobby. All Flow Hives are suitable for beginners, and if you’re not sure which is right for you, this guide can help you choose the perfect beehive.
Registering beehives in Nevada
Beekeepers in Nevada must register their beehives each January with the Nevada Department of Agriculture. Additionally, there may be restrictions on the number and location of hives in your local area. We recommend checking local regulations and consulting with your local beekeeping association before setting up your first hive.
Complying with hive registration requirements helps to maintain the health of your bees and other colonies in your locality. If you’re planning to set up a hive in a built-up area, it can be a good idea to let your neighbors know.
The challenges of beekeeping in Nevada
All beekeepers need to put work into maintaining healthy bee colonies. Bees in Nevada are susceptible to pests and diseases such as the varroa mite. Inspecting your hives for diseases and providing treatment when necessary is an essential part of beekeeping. Skunks can be a nuisance, as they eat bees and can damage beehives.
Another thing that beekeepers need to manage is swarming. Bee swarms can cause inconvenience for neighbors and weaken your own colonies, as half the bees leave your apiary. Our online course includes lessons on swarm management, and you can find more information and tips on preventing swarming on our YouTube channel and beekeeping blogs.
As Nevada is a desert state, it can go through long periods of little or no rainfall. You may need to support your bees with supplemental feeding during times of drought. It’s important to ensure your bees have access to water year-round.
Keeping bees in hot temperatures
Honeybees are incredible at regulating the temperature inside the beehive. They need to keep the internal temperature at around 95°F to ensure the larvae develop optimally. In cold weather, they cluster together and vibrate to generate heat. In higher temperatures, they take water into the hive and fan their wings to air-condition the hive.
Therefore, providing a reliable water source for your bees is essential, especially if you’re in an area prone to drought and extreme heat. Other ways to assist the bees in maintaining a stable hive temperature include: providing shade, painting the hive with light colors and ensuring the hive is properly ventilated. Flow Hives come with inbuilt ventilation controls, and you can further increase airflow during hot periods by removing the pest management tray.
In this video, Cedar Anderson, inventor of the Flow Hive, shares some tips on caring for your bees during times of drought.
How do I become a beekeeper in Nevada?
There’s lots to learn when you get started in beekeeping and each beekeeper will have their preferred learning style. Some like to dive in, get a hive and learn as they go, while others prefer to learn as much as possible before getting started. Either way, Flow has you covered. Our online beekeeping course, TheBeekeeper.org explains everything you need to start beekeeping with confidence. Featuring beekeeping experts from around the world, the lessons progress from the very basics right through to advanced skills, so it’s suitable for beekeepers of all ages. There’s no beekeeping resource quite like it, and you can try it out from the comfort of your home with a 30-day free trial.
It’s also very helpful if you can find a mentor or beekeeping club in your area. They can provide local knowledge, give advice on where to source bees, and help you out with your first hive inspection. We’ve also got tons of resources to help beekeepers, including weekly livestreams, beekeeping blogs, a community forum and detailed FAQs.
As well as a beehive, you’ll need a smoker and bee suit to get going. To grab these with a sweet saving, our Starter Bundle is a great option.
Still not sure? Have more questions? Contact our friendly support team to begin your beekeeping journey today.
