Hive tools and washing soda

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SusieB

New Bee
Joined
Aug 25, 2010
Messages
12
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Location
uk
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
1
Just wondering what people do.
Do you store your tools in a solution of washing soda and water or do you soak them for a bit, dry off and store dry?

I've been washing mine in hot soapy water, soaking them for a couple of hours in soda solution, drying off and then storing dry but someone else told me (another new beek, vague aquaintance) I should store them in the solution and just take out when needed. If that's the case, how long can you keep a solution for without it going "off" ?
 
No idea if its the right thing, but only having two hives so not too worried about cross infection, I tend to leave mine until its gets too mucky then chuck it in the dishwasher
 
I leave mine in for a few mins in the soda crystal solution but then dry and store them. I would've thought the tools would rust if left in the water too long.
 
I leave mine in for a few mins in the soda crystal solution but then dry and store them. I would've thought the tools would rust if left in the water too long.

Mine are left permanently submerged between inspections. It really softens the popolis up in that time. They are stainless steel so don't rust. The better quality tools, like Taylors Eye Witness don't seem to rust either.

I see Thornes now have J tools that look, and measure, exactly like the Taylors Eye Witness ones, but are about 50% thicker, which makes seperating chambers much more difficult. I suspect they are importing thema chinese supplier and the steel is cheaper hence the extra thickness.

Adam
 
Just wondering what people do.
Do you store your tools in a solution of washing soda and water or do you soak them for a bit, dry off and store dry?
?

You have one hive? What are you afraid? You handle the same hive.
 
Finman - susieB

perhaps she is an active member of local BKA so examines club apiary hives as well as her own?

or maybe she's an itinerant hive peeper - travelling the countryside looking for out apiaries to admire!
 
Buy good quality stainless steel and leave all tools that come into contact with bees in the soda solution all the time, I change the solution once a season but thats because it gets very dark from the propolis, but the tools stay spotless all the time, they even live in soda in the winter
 
You have one hive? What are you afraid? You handle the same hive.

True, I have one hive myself but plan to get another next year and also, when I can, attend the Associations "Bee nights" so do handle other hives, although I got a second hive tool for this.
I was just trying to follow good hygiene, whether one hive or not, surely that's best practice? Also if I happen to squash a bee accidentally wouldn't the scent be left on the tool and maybe make the bees agitated for next time?
 
Susie you will only have 2 hive tools next year ?
Wait until the hive tool gods find out and start to steal them from you.

They steal thousands of hive tools up and down the British isles every year,just pop it on an upturned roof and when you turn your back they steal it !!
 
Susie you will only have 2 hive tools next year ?
Wait until the hive tool gods find out and start to steal them from you.

They steal thousands of hive tools up and down the British isles every year,just pop it on an upturned roof and when you turn your back they steal it !!

This my experience as well. I have 4 hive tools, 2 lighters and 3 or more boxes of matches. I also have a notebook with a pen on a string gaffer taped to the back of the book. Before I adopted this plan, I spent more time looking for things than actually doing anything useful.

At home, I have 6 hammers, 7 tape measures, 4 stanley knives, 4 set squares and buy pencils in boxes of 20. I have so many of these things to avoid having to look for them all the time. When the fairies hide one, I just go and get another. When I tidy up, I put them back in their place, so I have a pile of pencils on one shelf and next door a pile of tape measures. A large box of pencils in the shed, another in the garage, another in the allotment shed and another in my office. Whenever I find a pencil lying about, I put it in one of the boxes.
The fairies only got active when I reached 50, but since then, I reckon this plan has saved me hours of hunting around.
 
Buy good quality stainless steel and leave all tools that come into contact with bees in the soda solution all the time, I change the solution once a season but thats because it gets very dark from the propolis, but the tools stay spotless all the time, they even live in soda in the winter

Doesn't the water get disgusting after a couple of inspections? I change mine after each inspection and would've thought that propolis and general debris would make the water not too hygienic after a whole season.
 
I leave mine in all the time. Change every 2 weeks or sooner if it looks a bit dirty. Good tablespoonful of washing soda and a few drops of detergent.

I usually take this small bucket with me on inspections and rinse my gloves between hives - washes pheromone off of each hive.

When I get stung on the hand and they all make a bee-line for it I wash the sting area to get rid of alarm pheromone.
 
How washing soda do you put in how much water?
 
Susie you will only have 2 hive tools next year ?
Wait until the hive tool gods find out and start to steal them from you.

They steal thousands of hive tools up and down the British isles every year,just pop it on an upturned roof and when you turn your back they steal it !!

Are they related to the Sock Fairy, who comes at night and steals one sock?
 
I have 6 hammers, 7 tape measures, 4 stanley knives, 4 set squares and buy pencils in boxes of 20.

I have about the same amount....... never find them tho....... you got mine as well....???
 

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