9 Must-Have Tools: Beginner’s Guide to Beekeeping Equipment
- Our Sustainable Farm (OSF)
Beekeeping equipment varies greatly according to the number of colonies, size of the beekeeping project, and the type of honey you want to produce. The right types of tools keep the bees intact and increase productivity. Therefore, knowing basic beekeeping equipment is the first step in the beekeeping world.
So, if you plan to start beekeeping or have already done it, these 9 beekeeping tools and equipment will help your bees grow in the best conditions. Above all, some tools are for your safety and prevent bee attacks. Therefore, do not skip any tool and ensure you and your bees are safe.
Beekeeping Equipment for Beginners
You don’t need any bulky or difficult-to-handle tools in beekeeping. These are simple and handy equipment that you can use in different stages.
So, here is the summarized list for you:
- Beehives
- Frames and combs
- Smoker
- Hive tool
- Bee brush
- Queen catcher
- Queen excluder
- Feeders
- Protective clothing
Beehives
Beehives for beginners are the primary equipment and the main structures without which no one can start beekeeping. Beehives provide protection, shelter, and growable conditions to bees for making honey.
A typical beehive consists of the following parts or components:
Beehive outer cover
the outer structure is usually made of wood that provides weather protection.
Beehive inner cover
prevents bees from attaching the comb to the outer structure and provides insulation.
Shallow supers
the structures in the beehive to store surplus honey.
Hive body or brood chamber
a large wooden box that holds comb frames and makes a space reserved for bees to rear brood or store honey to meet the hive’s needs.
The bottom board
is the wooden board on which the hive is set. It must be kept high, like bricks or concrete blocks, to keep it off the ground.
Hive stand
supports the beehive and prevents direct moisture from the ground by keeping it off the surface.
Frames and Combs
Frames are rectangular structures that hang inside a hive-like filling system. You can find frames of different lengths and heights depending on the body depths of the hives. Each frame consists of a top bar, two end bars, and a bottom bar. These bars could be grooved, wedged, or split where bees spend most of their lives making honey, laying brood, and preparing for winter.
Similarly, combs are held within the frames and are either plastic or wooden beeswax comb.
Smoker
A smoker is a beekeeping tool made of stainless steel to calm aggressive bees. Typically, honeybees give reaction to any movement or prepare themselves, assuming it is a danger and smoke of this equipment makes bees docile in two ways. First, smoke makes honeybees believe that there may be wildfire, and they eat as much honey as they can in preparation for a safe move. Plus, honeybees with full stomachs have difficulty stinging and settling.
Secondly, smoke weakens the smell of pheromones given off by guard bees as a defensive alarm. In this way, the attacking mode of the colony is minimized.
Hive tool
The hive tool is one of the most critical beekeeping tools and equipment that serves as a knife in beehives. Everything is glued in the beehives with resin-like propolis, and you need to open the seals. This hive tool is also quite long to work deeper in the hives. Similarly, you can detach comb from hive sides, cut and scrape propolis from frames.
Bee Brush
Bee brush is special beekeeping equipment, particularly for beginners, that helps to remove bees off the comb gently or anywhere you don’t want them to be there. It is a long and firm structure, but the bristles are not stiff to hurt bees.
When you pull the frame out of the hive surrounded by bees, this bee brush helps remove them from the surface. At the same time, you can use this tool in other beekeeping stages like honey harvest, repairing the broken comb, and sometimes for swarm removal.
Queen Catcher
The Queen catcher is a small queen bee holding tool. Although it is not a necessary tool but quite beneficial for beginners as they can keep the queen in it to prevent its loss. You can also separate queen bees for a while when doing some work in the hive. Sometimes queen bees are lost during hive maintenance and are hard to find. So, it is better to protect them in this tiny cage.
You can also use a queen catcher when catching a swarm because if you have the queen, the hive usually stays as long as she does.
Queen Excluder
Queen excluder is not a mandatory tool and depends on your choice, but without any doubt, it helps in various ways. Mainly, you can use it to keep the queen from laying eggs in the honey. The purpose of using a queen excluder is to restrict the queen from going into a certain space. The slots of this excluder are small enough from which worker bees can pass, but a queen cannot. She is forced to stay behind it, and you can also place it in front of the hive door so the queen bee cannot escape during beehive movement.
Feeders
As the name indicates, feeders are used to feed honeybees. It is not used round the year, but when bees cannot find nectar outside, you need to supplement their food supply.
You mix equal parts of sugar and honey and place them in the feeder, either an entrance feeder or a hive top feeder.
Protective Clothing
Beehive protective equipment is quite necessary for beekeeping equipment to ensure your safety. It includes a full beehive suit with a veil, hat, and jacket to prevent bee stings. Similarly, you should wear long gloves and shoes as aggressive bees can attack any exposed part of your body. If you are a beginner and fear bee stings, you should wear canvas or leather gloves and shoes so there will be no chance of the sting.
Conclusion – Beekeeping Tools
Beekeeping is a fruitful process, and the right tools make it easier. Thus, make sure to wear a full bee suit and get all the equipment before you step into the bee yard.
Summary
Beekeeping equipment is essential for maintaining bees and increasing productivity. Basic tools include beehives, frames and combs, smoker, hive tool, bee brush, queen catcher, excluder, feeders, and protective clothing. Beehives are the primary structures for beekeeping, providing protection, shelter, and growable conditions for bees. These tools are essential for safety and preventing bee attacks. The beehive stands support the beehive and prevent ground moisture.
Frames and combs are rectangular structures that hang inside a hive-like filling system. A smoker calms aggressive bees by making them docile and reducing their attacking mode. A hive tool is a crucial tool for working deeper in the hives, allowing for easy access to the comb and propolis. A bee brush is a special beekeeping equipment for gentle removal of bees from the comb. Bee brushes remove frames from hives, aid in honey harvest, and remove swarms.
Queen catchers protect queens and separate them during maintenance. Queen excluders restrict queens from entering certain spaces, preventing eggs from laying in honey. Exclusion slots in beehives prevent queen bees from entering, and feeders are used to supplement nectar supply. Protective clothing, including a full bee suit, gloves, and shoes, is essential for safety. Wearing protective clothing and equipment ensures a fruitful beekeeping experience.
