Apiary tool box

[Scout]

What tools do you take to the apiary when doing your normal inspections?

 

[Antipodes]

What tools do you take to the apiary when doing your normal inspections?

I find I take almost every beekeeping tool I have because I almost always find surprises! Two totes/toolboxes carry most of it and the smoker lives in a metal case and is always put back in it lying down, lid of the case closed. It all comes in the vehicle with me.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

smoker
hive tool kept at each apiary
Baldock cage in tin in pocket, marking pen (current year, and previous year at the start of the season)
Pen knife in pocket
pocket notebook and pencil

 

[Antipodes]

It needs to be re-named a "hide tool" rather than hive tool. I've never permanently lost one but the backup one in the toolbox has come in handy a few times!

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I've never permanently lost one

It happens to me more often that I would believe. I'm hoping there's a metal detector in my Christmas presents

 

[madasafish]

I keep my hive tool on a lanyard attached to my belt with a spare in my bee bag.

 

[Murox]

smoker
hive tool kept at each apiary
Baldock cage in tin in pocket, marking pen (current year, and previous year at the start of the season)
Pen knife in pocket
pocket notebook and pencil

I have to ask... where do you manage to get a tin the right size from these days? I used to have an Ogdens pipe tobacco tin that was a handy size, but thats going back a bit.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have to ask... where do you manage to get a tin the right size from these days? I used to have an Ogdens pipe tobacco tin that was a handy size, but thats going back a bit.

it was a novelty sticking plaster tin that SWMBO bought years ago (got little heats all over it - or did before wax and propolis disguised it) perfect size with a thin piece of foam put inside to protect the needles.
I think you can get similar tins in M&S which contains 'Seriously strong mints'

Altoids have the same size tin as well.

 

[Garry R]

it was a novelty sticking plaster tin that SWMBO bought years ago (got little heats all over it - or did before wax and propolis disguised it) perfect size with a thin piece of foam put inside to protect the needles.
I think you can get similar tins in M&S which contains 'Seriously strong mints'
View attachment 38432
Altoids have the same size tin as well.
View attachment 38431

As opposed to Hemorrhoids which ARE original, NOT celebrated and ARE curiously painful! With a purchase of Altoids I think there are piles in each tin (sorry, I am a Christmas cracker joke writer in my spare time)

 

[Antipodes]

What tools do you take to the apiary when doing your normal inspections?

Are you going to be travelling much distance to the apiary or will it be at your yard at home?

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

I'm hoping there's a metal detector in my Christmas presents

There was! So I went round the hives in one of my apiaries this afternoon and found one of my lost Jero's at the last hive. Even though this was not gold, the family made me do a dance.

 

[Scout]

Are you going to be travelling much distance to the apiary or will it be at your yard at home?

Both.
We will have two in the back guarden and a handful in an out apiary

 

[enrico]

My most useful thing is a can of fabispray ( liquid smoke) if a hive ' boils ' out if the top one squirt and they go back in so that I can simply close them up.if the smoker goes out on the last frame it is easier to use a squirt of it. It rarely gets used but boy does it work well when needed.

 

[Antipodes]

Both.
We will have two in the back guarden and a handful in an out apiary

Because your original question is about tools and not any other bits and pieces, with the home apiary, it's usually just the hive tool and the smoker. Anything else I need I can get at fairly easily. Most stuff is in the beekeeping vehicle and there are many things in there ...probably dozens of different things, and I've used them all at some point in the apiaries. The further I need to travel, the more I tend to take, so it probably depends on how far away your out apiary is. At times I'll bring a chainsaw, a tent, sleeping/cooking gear and even a spare colony! Essentials down here include at least five litres of water in case of fire from the smoker and/or a small fire extinguisher. I also have two epipens, a roll of gaffer tape, a water spray bottle, a few newspapers, smoker fuel as well as bacterial disinfectant. Things like spare boxes and frames, excluders, split and demaree boards, floors and lids also are carried, but of course I'm getting out of a list of tools now and more into equipment. Things like a drill, a few drill bits, screw drivers, a sharp little knife, spare hive tool and a decent little pruning saw are always there.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

mobile phone.
And I always carry a thermos of cold water - just an ordinary bottle of water sometimes gets pretty hot in the summer

 

[Scout]

Because your original question is about tools and not any other bits and pieces, with the home apiary, it's usually just the hive tool and the smoker. Anything else I need I can get at fairly easily. Most stuff is in the beekeeping vehicle and there are many things in there ...probably dozens of different things, and I've used them all at some point in the apiaries. The further I need to travel, the more I tend to take, so it probably depends on how far away your out apiary is. At times I'll bring a chainsaw, a tent, sleeping/cooking gear and even a spare colony! Essentials down here include at least five litres of water in case of fire from the smoker and/or a small fire extinguisher. I also have two epipens, a roll of gaffer tape, a water spray bottle, a few newspapers, smoker fuel as well as bacterial disinfectant. Things like spare boxes and frames, excluders, split and demaree boards, floors and lids also are carried, but of course I'm getting out of a list of tools now and more into equipment. Things like a drill, a few drill bits, screw drivers, a sharp little knife, spare hive tool and a decent little pruning saw are always there.

Good shout regarding the water for fire extinguisher. Not something I had thought about and our summers have started seeing wildfires being spread from careless fire lighting. Had not considered the smoker being a cause....thank you.

Regarding the epi pens.....are you in the uk? My understanding is they are not possible to.obtain I. The uk without a prescription. Which seems completely daft after seeing my brother nearly choke rece tly due to an un bee related allergic reaction. It is something I would happily pay to have and not use, whilst understanding they have short shelf lives.

 

[Antipodes]

Regarding the epi pens.....are you in the uk? My understanding is they are not possible to.obtain I. The uk without a prescription. Which seems completely daft after seeing my brother nearly choke rece tly due to an un bee related allergic reaction. It is something I would happily pay to have and not use, whilst understanding they have short shelf lives.

No, I'm down under. The coroner here recommended they be carried by beekeepers.
The fire one is a real issue here and in NZ apparently.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/04/beekeeper-blamed-for-sparking-massive-australian-fire/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern...fierce-scrub-fire/LAKLFMLOEHGYNVLGUWH54OANGA/

 

[drex]

A retired doctor here. When will you lot get your heads round the fact that epipens are not the be all and end all to allergic reactions. They are just one tool in the box. In 40 years in medicine I have only had to use adrenaline a handful of times in "allergic " situations.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

A retired doctor here. When will you lot get your heads round the fact that epipens are not the be all and end all to allergic reactions. They are just one tool in the box. In 40 years in medicine I have only had to use adrenaline a handful of times in "allergic " situations.

Thanks for this - but actually I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do or not do, having read your post.

 

[Scout]

A retired doctor here. When will you lot get your heads round the fact that epipens are not the be all and end all to allergic reactions. They are just one tool in the box. In 40 years in medicine I have only had to use adrenaline a handful of times in "allergic " situations.

What other tools would you suggest in the event that someone suffers anaphylaxis in a remote location, nearest road 8 miles away and nearest hospital around 45 minutes?