Beekeeping
How many colonies should a beginner start with?
It is recommended that a new beekeeper start with at least two colonies of bees. When a beekeeper has only one hive, if something goes wrong with the queen and there are not eggs and young larvae present in the hive, then corrective action is impossible. With a second hive, a frame of eggs and young larvae can be given to the queenless unit and they should be able to raise a new queen.