🐝 Beekeeping for Women: You Don’t Have to Be a Brute to Manage an Apiary

Mating season begins in the starter colonies.

Beekeeping doesn’t require brute strength. It requires timing, awareness, and good decision-making. Yes, there’s lifting and equipment involved, but managing bees well has far more to do with finesse than muscle. I hear a lot of women say they’re interested in beekeeping but worry about the physical side of it. That concern usually comes from what beekeeping looks like from the outside, not what it actually requires day to day.

Because I usually work alone, I’ve had to be very intentional about working smarter. I’m not particularly strong, so anything over about 50 pounds, I don’t move by myself. I break loads down into smaller pieces instead. If I need to move a colony on my own, I bring extra equipment and offload the hive into five-frame nucs. It means more boxes, but it’s far more manageable to move nucs than fully loaded deeps.

It’s also important to understand what you’re lifting. A single deep frame fully capped with honey can weigh eight to ten pounds. Honey supers add up quickly, even though they’re shorter than brood boxes. For brood, I break colonies down into nucs. For honey supers, I park my truck as close to the hive as possible and remove frames one at a time, placing them directly into an empty super in the truck. When I offload, I do the same thing—one frame at a time. It takes longer, but it keeps me working the next day, which matters more.

I’ve also simplified what I carry during inspections. I used to haul around a five-gallon bucket packed with everything imaginable. Now I usually carry very little—pollen patties, my J-hook, and sometimes a smoker and torch. If I’m carrying a smoker, the lighter and hive tool ride inside it while I’m walking the yard. If I need more equipment, I use a small Gorilla garden cart instead of carrying it on my body.

Hive setup matters too. I keep my colonies on short stands now. When they were on pallets, I was bending constantly. The lower stands reduce strain and make inspections and handling more sustainable over time.

Site selection matters as well. Years ago, I had an apiary that required wading through a shallow swamp for about a quarter mile during the rainy season. At the time, it seemed manageable. Over time, it became clear that it wasn’t. These days, I choose apiary locations I can usually drive my little truck, Pepper, right up to. It’s not about convenience—it’s about being able to work consistently, safely, and without unnecessary strain.

I currently manage a little over 100 colonies, and the only way that’s possible—especially working mostly on my own—is by paying attention to efficiency. I standardize equipment so I’m not adjusting to different box sizes or configurations. I stage what I’ll need before I start instead of carrying everything with me. I don’t try to fix everything in one visit. I prioritize, take notes, and come back when it makes sense.

Managing bees over time is less about strength and more about how the work is structured. When the work is set up well, it’s repeatable and sustainable. The bees don’t care how strong you are. They care that you manage them well.

~Tamila

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