1 luxury allowed in your bee box, what?

[george]

I bought a few of the 'Beekeepers perch' stools from th*rnes sale a year ago at 90p each . Wouldnt be without one now .
G

 

[johnandyrob]

I am going to regret this. I just know I am.

Why would you want a closer look at larvae?

Research possibly?

PH

I'm glad you asked I was thinking the same but though I was being thick Regards Andrew

 

[Mike a]

A little presumptuous but a friend/wife to help lift supers and or hive chambers after suffering a prolapsed disc last year... failing that a wheel barrow.

 

[Nellie]

I am going to regret this. I just know I am.

Why would you want a closer look at larvae?

Research possibly?

PH

It did say it was a luxury item. Brood disease inspection was my first thought.

I'll also quite happily concede that id have used them precisely zero times last year

 

[Black Comb]

I'm going to regret this too.

But why do you need string in your tool box?

Agree that the expensive zippo type lighter is a v. useful luxury.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

In jasper season a wasp zapper

 

[drstitson]

a small polish mentor!!!!

 

[rowbow]

small flexible beamed torch to look in cells on a dull day.

John

 

[drstitson]

"But why do you need string in your tool box?"

to tie bits of comb into empty frames.

for example my UK colony was a late swarm emergency housed on a mixture of brood and super frames that were available to the collector at the time.

when i inherited them had loads of lovely brood below the super frames (which had stupidly been put in middle). comb cut off and attached to new frames and these doubled up frames moved up to a super and replaced with new brood frames below in time for feeding.

 

[Rosti]

"But why do you need string in your tool box?"

to tie bits of comb into empty frames.

for example my UK colony was a late swarm emergency housed on a mixture of brood and super frames that were available to the collector at the time.

when i inherited them had loads of lovely brood below the super frames (which had stupidly been put in middle). comb cut off and attached to new frames and these doubled up frames moved up to a super and replaced with new brood frames below in time for feeding.

Yes, I was going to say similar. I used twine a few times last year where frames coming to the end of their life had failed at a joint. Hold them together with twiine as a stop gap until proper replacement.

 

[Chris B]

Hair roller cages and foam.
(Queen goes in cage if you find her and stays there until end of inspection - the reason is you don't want to discover 4 frames in there are q.cells when you've already noticed the queen. She's always harder to find the 2nd time for some reason.)

Newspaper

Drinking Water

Something to clean the sweat off my glasses

Catapult (for woodpeckers)

 

[barratt_sab]

Duck tape - it's the best multi-purpose tool I have in my bag.

 

[belinda bee]

A small bottle of ammonia for stings it neutralises the bee venom also cotton balls girly i know but it works

 

[Otleybee]

Hair roller cages and foam.
She's always harder to find the 2nd time for some reason.)

QUOTE]

As a newbie she is very hard to find the first time and as for the prospect of finding her twice in one inspection I can only dream!!!

 

[Poly Hive]

Do we need the guide to Queen finding written out?

PH

 

[Erichalfbee]

I succeed about 50% of the time. If hubby and I are inspecting together the one not holding the frame almost always spots her first. Kids are good at spotting them too

 

[YorkshireBees]

My small digital camera!!

Although personally I don't consider it a luxury more an essential, it is NOT strictly required for an inspection!

Aswell as producing some stunning photos that you can publish or just show to interested people it also helps when you 'blow up' (zoom in) on close up photos to innpect bees for varroa etc.

Or, as 2 members of the local association did, it allows you to print a photo and take it along with you to ask advice regarding Queen cells etc.

 

[hedgerow pete]

mine would have to be a hot cup of tea!!

 

[Lois]

I like to take a camera with me, its useful for recording my mistakes
A pen and paper to record what is in there etc.
Someone in the background (hubby doesnt like me inspecting on my own as its quite a way from civilisation if I get a reaction to stings).

 

[MJBee]

I wouldn't be without my Olympus Digi Voice Recorder, saves messing about with pencil and paper and means nothing is forgotten - my eyesight is OK (with glasses) but my memory lasts about a nano second - it's an age thing again