1 luxury allowed in your bee box, what?

[Rosti]

Was tidying today and realised how much had crept into my bee tool box - most of it was removed again, but some stayed. Given there have been quite a few newbees joining the forum (welcome all) and getting ready for their first season, what 1 (thats ONE) luxury item would you have in your bee box? You can give some close seconds if it helps!

I'm assuming a std box contains (you may disagree, but hey, it's my thread!):

1. Hive tool
2. Inspection cloths
3. knife
4. twine
5. Crown of Th0rnes
6. Smoker fuel
7. Spray bottle of syrup
8. Drawing pins
9. Marking pens / paint
10. match box
11. matches / lighter
12. spare plastic inspection gloves

After careful consideration my vote has gone to my over priced but wonderful jet-torch zippo lighter. Works anywhere, any amount of wind, rain or snow and you can use it safely whilst gloved if you need to re-fuel / re-light quickly. The time it has saved in windy conditions makes it worth it.

The things that lost out were:
Gaffa tape
magnifying glass

 

[victor meldrew]

My Turbo flame twin jet lighter for above reasons .
only criticism is the obscure blue flame in bright conditions !

John W.

 

[Firegazer]

Second-hand stethoscope off Fleabay - perfect for reassuring worried beginners (in their first few Winters) that their bees are still alive in their hives.

FG

 

[For want of a better word]

Auto lighting flame thrower




Gas Torch if you only have a small one!

 

[Haughton Honey]

A can of Stella

 

[Somerford]

I wouldn't be without the luxury of a good beesuit and gloves, to be honest !!!!!

regards

S

 

[For want of a better word]

Iliter Laphraig!

 

[richardbees]

"Crown of Th0rnes" ?

Rosti, you'll be in the OED before you know it!

I had to google to find out what this was - otherwise known as a " queen marking cage"?

 

[Poly Hive]

Very dangerous bit of kit, severe risk of cutting your precious queen into bits.

Use fingers, much safer.

PH

 

[fatshark]

I've started using one of those 25p 'bag for life' carriers from the supermarket instead of the trusty bee box ... a little bigger and can easily accommodate a few extra 'essentials' tucked away in 2 litre ice cream tubs.

My general list is very similar, but I'd swap the inspection cloths for the magnifying glass. It's an age thing and I'm no longer in denial ...

This is an essential ... Jet lighter - specifically one of the long ones to reach deep into a sheltered corner of the smoker. And this is tied on to the handle of the bag with 4' of twine to avoid scrabbling in long grass. Prices on a well-known auction site are very reasonable for these things.

And the luxuries ... spare hive tool (been there, done that and have the bent knife to prove it) and a small Kelly Kettle to make a brew.

--
fatshark

 

[Otleybee]

Reading glasses. So much easier to see what is going on. Again an age thing.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I've started using one of those 25p 'bag for life' carriers from the supermarket instead of the trusty bee box ... a little bigger and can easily accommodate a few extra 'essentials' tucked away in 2 litre ice cream tubs.

My general list is very similar, but I'd swap the inspection cloths for the magnifying glass. It's an age thing and I'm no longer in denial ...

This is an essential ... Jet lighter - specifically one of the long ones to reach deep into a sheltered corner of the smoker. And this is tied on to the handle of the bag with 4' of twine to avoid scrabbling in long grass. Prices on a well-known auction site are very reasonable for these things.

And the luxuries ... spare hive tool (been there, done that and have the bent knife to prove it) and a small Kelly Kettle to make a brew.

--
fatshark

ahh yes a kelly kettle, always have one in the car, still surprises me how fast they brew up, was you a boy scout then

and yep a magnify glass Numer One Essential but what i really need at my age is a note saying DON'T WEAR YOUR PHOTOCHROMIC GLASSES as i can even see larva let alone eggs if they darken

 

[rob bone]

magnifying glass

 

[nonstandard]

magnifying glass

again it's an age thing

 

[Vergilius]

A brick always comes in handy... Not really a luxury tho.

Frame-rest a nice extra... Always useful in inspections.

Ben P

 

[margob99]

If I said "a supercedure Queen" would that be considered facetious

 

[Silly Bee]

A sharp pocket knife.

 

[Storm™]

I smoke so always have a lighter. I have the other things but one thing I would like to make sure I have which I haven't seen mentioned is my powerful maglight-alike torch. It's not a maglight but looks like one and shines like the surface of the sun. It lights up hillsides. Anyhow I thought it would really be useful for looking in withought rummaging.

 

[Nellie]

tweezers. handy for getting larvae out of cells if you need a closer look at them.

 

[Poly Hive]

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

Why would you want a closer look at larvae?

Research possibly?

PH