Langstroth Hives are the most popular kind of hives.
A filled box with honey, is around 70 lbs. Shallow and medium boxes are the most popular.
Best to get 8 frame hives in a medium size.
What you'll need:
A Hat/Veil and or jacket
Gloves
Smoker
Hive Tool
A Feeder (Hive Top Feeder). Miller Feeders most popular. You will be feeding for the first couple of months after you install them. They take this sugar water/syrup and turn it into wax.
Use Regular Cane Sugar, with a 1:1 ratio. 1 Cup of Water with 1 cup of Cane Sugar. You will go through a gallon of water a week. 4 lbs of sugar : 4 lbs of water. 1 pint = 1 lb.
Bees (3 lbs of bees plus a queen) - which you can order by mail or pick up by a local supplier. Either a package of bees, a Nuc or an artificial swarm you can catch yourself.
A "Nuc" is a Nucleus colony, a full community which you can get from a local beekeeper. Either a 8 frame colony or a 10 frame colony.
A Swarm you will have to catch on your own...(which i do not recommend)
Packaged Bees by Mail you will get earlier, cost less, come in a box with no additional equipment. These bees will not be established yet. A Nuc you will get later, but they will be further along and established. They will cost more, but they come with some equipment enclosed from another bee keeper, not necessarily new equipment.
A local water supply, something like a bird bath or a pond near by
A Epipen - For emergencies! Just in case something happens, even if you're not allergic, you never know when something bad will happen, or if someone else on your property might be allergic. Always keep one on you at all times just in case!
Hive Placement:
The hive placement should be protected from wind, facing south, south east.
The more sun the better!
Dont cut grass by the hive, if you need to cut the grass, do it either early in the morning or late in the day when the bees arn't active. Make sure the grass coming out of the mower is facing away from the hive. Try to move slowly when going by the hive to not disturb them.
