About Honey Garage
Honey Garage is an independent website for backyard beekeepers. We started it in 2022 to collect practical, plain-English guidance on keeping honey bees and mason bees in one place, from choosing a first hive to harvesting honey and getting a colony through winter.
What you will find here
- Hive guides on Langstroth, top bar, Warré and flow hives, and on mason bee houses.
- Seasonal care: inspections, feeding, swarm control, pests such as varroa mites and wax moths, and winter preparation. See our bee care section.
- Harvesting: extracting honey, rendering beeswax and storing what you harvest. See honey harvesting.
- Equipment buying guides for protective clothing, tools, hives and books.
How we choose products
Our buying guides are built from research, and we say so plainly. For each product category we:
- List what a beekeeper actually needs from the product, for example sting resistance and ventilation in a bee suit, or frame capacity and build quality in an extractor.
- Compare manufacturer specifications, materials and warranty terms.
- Read verified-buyer reviews and beekeeping forum discussions, looking for repeated problems rather than star ratings.
- Check the guidance of beekeeping associations and university extension services where it applies, especially for pest treatments.
- Recommend a short list for specific situations, such as a first-year beekeeper, a hot climate or a tight budget.
When we have hands-on experience with a product, the guide says so. When we do not, we do not pretend otherwise. We update guides when products change or are discontinued.
How we make money
Honey Garage is reader-supported. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this site, at no extra cost to you. No brand pays to be featured. Read our full affiliate disclosure.
Health and safety
Articles about bee stings, allergies, bee venom or bee products are general information, not medical advice. If you are stung and have trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, or feel faint, call emergency services immediately. Always follow the label and your local regulations when using any hive treatment. See our disclaimer.
Contact us
Corrections, questions and beekeeping stories are welcome. Email contact@honeygarage.com or use our contact form. If you spot a mistake in an article, tell us and we will fix it.