bee keeping essentials - any ideas!?

[jaynie]

hi all!
my dad is in his first year of beekeeping, he bought a basics kit which had hive, tool & smoker, clothing and honey extraction equipment.
Is there an additional piece of kit that now you have, you wouldn't be without?? i have various catalogs but want to make sure i buy him something useful! (for christmas!!)
thankyou, jaynie

 

[Firefly]

hi all!
my dad is in his first year of beekeeping, he bought a basics kit which had hive, tool & smoker, clothing and honey extraction equipment.
Is there an additional piece of kit that now you have, you wouldn't be without?? i have various catalogs but want to make sure i buy him something useful! (for christmas!!)
thankyou, jaynie

A book!

Lots of suggestions on here if you search

 

[Lindylou]

How about a book? I am also new to beekeeping and am getting a lot of knowledge from them.

 

[Queens59]

A good stocking filler would be a pollen guide - it is really interesting to see what your bees have been foraging on...I hope your Dad realises how lucky he is - we usually get into trouble for buying/requesting bee stuff for Christmas etc...

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Not sure how much you looking to spend, but if his colony is at all feisty a manipulation cloth can be useful

 

[Lindylou]

What is a manipulation cloth?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

What is a manipulation cloth?

Heavy canvas with stainless steel rods sewn into the edges to weight the cloth down. The centre section can be folded over to close or folded back to allow a frame to be taken out. Slide across to expose other frames.

Used to keep most of the colony in the dark, and in theory quiet, while frames are taken out. Quite easy to make (I believe) but a handy tool if the colony is hell bent on taking you down.

 

[jaynie]

he's been v lucky actually,he hadn't planned on getting bees until next season but he was taken by suprise, no sooner was the hive set up than a swarm arrived, and they are sooo gentle we don't even use the smoker - he has books (not much of a reader though) the pollen guide sounds good though - keep the ideas coming!
and thankyou all for your fab ideas!
x

 

[Lindylou]

Aha I see. Thanks for that Monsieur Abeille. Im learning all the time.

 

[Storm™]

As he will be coming up to his second year, another hive would prove useful.
Spare frames.
Spare super
Books

 

[DanBee]

Haynes Bee Manual - very well written and illustrated, not the usual bandwagon rubbish published of late.

 

[jaynie]

oiks! is the first hive likely to swarm in the second year? soooo much to learn so little time!
yes, extra frames and foundation would be useful too, i guess there's always the chance that they will break in the spinny-thing!

 

[jaynie]

hi dan - good idea, my dad isn't a big reader but he when he does it's usually a haynes!! didn't know they did a bee one though, and he likes bill turnbull too! i've just ordered this on "a well known book site" with a few spare frames and foundation thrown in this should be just the job! his birthday is coming up too so he'll get the pollen guide too!
thanks dan
and thanks everyone else for your advice!
jaynie x

 

[Luminos]

A subscription to the Beekeeping Forum

 

[mbc]

A landrover

 

[jakethedog]

want to make sure i buy him something useful! (for christmas!!)
thankyou, jaynie

Hi jaynie, a nuc box will always be useful to have

-or maybe one of the mini nucs (plenty of different designs out there), possibly not as 'useful' as the nuc box but every bit as interesting for him to play with.

 

[MartinL]

5 frame nuc is a good idea,
how about converting to 14X12?
A local chap nr Wellesbourne makes and sells all sorts of hive equipment, Cedar or Pine.
His hives are just as good as the big players but half the price and he can do specials. Also a fountain of knowlege, made me a 5 frame nuc that converts from national to 14X12.

Does he have a feeder, he'll need one for the spring or earlier!
Otherwise books are always good. Try fleabay for older ones out of print!

 

[Firefly]

A landrover

If you get him one like this, he'll love it. Works for me

 

[itma]

hi all!
my dad is in his first year of beekeeping, he bought a basics kit which had hive, tool & smoker, clothing and honey extraction equipment.
Is there an additional piece of kit that now you have, you wouldn't be without?? i have various catalogs but want to make sure i buy him something useful! (for christmas!!)
thankyou, jaynie

Presuming from that, that the hive is a National.

How about a polycarbonate (see-through) crown board?
Very nice to have, (being able to see in without properly opening up) and has the apparently important gift element of being a bit beyond merely 'useful'.

 

[Storm™]

If you get him one like this, he'll love it. Works for me

My favourite vehicle in my favourite colour. I actually hate you. And now I am off to have a cry.