To start out, a beekeeper must find a suitable location, gather the proper equipment, and find a source of bees. It is always a good idea to learn as much as possible about bees and beekeeping from experts and books before you get started. Professional beekeepers recommend purchasing new hive boxes and frames or making your own in a standard size. Purchasing secondhand equipment can lead to problems because it may be contaminated with various bee diseases or may not be a standard size and thus lead to problems later if you want to expand. There are several different ways of starting a bee colony.
Most beginners start by buying package bees available from suppliers.
Experienced beekeepers may collect wild swarms or colonies. However, current problems with diseases or parasites like varroa mites that kill bees, or with harder to manage bees like Africanized honey bees, make the chances of finding a healthy, easy to manage wild swarm less and less likely. To remove honey from a hive, the beekeeper must have the right equipment for the job. When working the bees, the beekeeper wears a veil to keep bees from stinging the head and face. Many beekeepers will also wear a white bee suit .