I'm ready but have I got everything?

[Millet]

I'm half clueless but do you have the
Varoa mesh floor.
Hive Stand.
Gloves.
Feed supplement.

 

[user 6228]

Honeybee democracy by Tom Seeley... Just so that you know, that its a proven scientific fact, that the bees can out fox you

 

[Swarm]

You have one complete hive, you now need another. Think artificial swarm procedure/swarm prevention and you will understand why you will always need spare hive parts.
Enjoy your new cash drai ...er ... hobby.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I have the following kit:
Hive - complete (brood box, super, Frames, QE, Floor etc.)
Suit
Smoker
Brush
Tool.

Beside the Bees, what other items of equipment would see me helping them to settle in with the best possible start.

I haven't read everybody else's suggestions, so will probably repeat some things.

Gloves - marigolds will do, make sure they are a snug fit.
Bucket containing washing soda for cleaning hive tool and gloves after inspection.
Closable plastic box for scraps of wax you take off during inspection.
Smoker fuel (not the expensive stuff, get some rotten wood and dry it out),
Barbecue lighter or blow torch to light the smoker
White sugar - to make syrup (you don't need to buy it ready made)
Crown board with no hole, the one you've bought will be a feeder board.
Dummy boards (or dummy frames) the thin ones, not the cheap frame-sized ones from ebay, to reduce size of the brood box to what the bees need.
Insulation to go above crown board, leave on all year round.

Haynes Bee Manual, easier to skim through and find information than the Hooper book.

A shed - buy one that's at least twice as big as you think you'll need. Either that or build a car port for the car, because you'll soon fill your garage with stuff.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

do you have the
..............Feed supplement.

eh?

 

[irishguy]

A mentor! In fact you might need more and while your at it, get a punch bag because your wife can only take some much beatings when your stressed with the bees and the punch bag will come in handy

 

[bodlamby]

Thank you all for the replies and information.

I will be buying a few of the items just now and when the bank account allows, a few more.

There is a mentor I can work with a couple of miles away who is willing to help.

The books that were recommended by my local association were the Hooper publication and the BBKA's own guide. These books are written specifically for the British climate.

Thanks again

 

[pargyle]

The books that were recommended by my local association were the Hooper publication and the BBKA's own guide. These books are written specifically for the British climate.

Thanks again

Hooper is pretty much the standard volume to keep on the shelf for the OMG what's going on times ... Many new beekeepers, these days, seem to prefer the less wordy and more guided structure of the Haynes Manual of Beekeeping - particularly in the first year.

I haven't dipped in to the BBKA guide but as it's written by Roger Cullum-Kenyon who is also the managing director of BBKA enterprises I think it's a bit incestuous that the BBKA should recommend only one book and that happens to be written by one of their own. I, like many on here, am a BBKA member through my local association and whilst the BBKA do many good things - there's an awful lot wrong with them. Frankly, before you buy it, I would borrow a copy and see what you think.

There are several past threads on here that deal extensively with what books are best for new beekeepers (and old beekeeping books) so a search for beekeeping books using the search function will throw up a whole slew of suggestions and critiques .. my advice is to join your local library and see what they have available before you commit yourself to £30 or so for books to keep. Second hand copies do often come up on Ebay and Amazon but the standard works do tend to hold their price so you might not find them for next to nothing ... if you do ..snap them up !

 

[Ely]

It helps to keep the cost down by making certain things yourself. I.E crownboards, feeder boards, escape boards, floors (even if you keep poly hives, there is little need of a poly floor if you can make it yourself from pallet wood) etc

 

[bodlamby]

It helps to keep the cost down by making certain things yourself. I.E crownboards, feeder boards, escape boards, floors (even if you keep poly hives, there is little need of a poly floor if you can make it yourself from pallet wood) etc

I've previously looked at the possibility of making full brood boxes and supers using plans found on this forum.
But the annoying thing was that when I found the right size timber from a supplier it was only a nominal size and the actual size could differ significantly and so mess up the internal dimensions. For the cost of flat pack equipment I can't make it much cheaper.
And before others mention anything, I don't have a workshop with routers, mitre saws and all the other things needed to work with wood.

 

[bpmurray]

I asked a similar question at the beginning of the season and got pretty much the same response.

As the year has moved forward, I had to get new hives for artificial swarms, apideas for queens, more frames & foundation (and a cheap nailer from Aldi along with a box of nails)0, fondant and sugar for feeding (it was a dreadful May here!) as well as a water spray bottle, drying a load of grass cuttings from the garden (excellent cool smoke), more soda crystals, queen cages, a bag of cupkits (for the roller cages really, but considering raising queens next year), a new hood for the suit (the veil was about to tear), ...

See - it's all true!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The books that were recommended by my local association were the Hooper publication and the BBKA's own guide.

Ted Hooper's book is highly recommended, as is Clive De Bruyn, I've also leafed through 'Beekeeping for dummies' (a tongue in cheek gift from SWMBO last Christmas) and found it well set out and informative. As for the BBKA publication, well, I suppose you will need something to light your smoker with.

 

[pargyle]

I've previously looked at the possibility of making full brood boxes and supers using plans found on this forum.
But the annoying thing was that when I found the right size timber from a supplier it was only a nominal size and the actual size could differ significantly and so mess up the internal dimensions. For the cost of flat pack equipment I can't make it much cheaper.
And before others mention anything, I don't have a workshop with routers, mitre saws and all the other things needed to work with wood.

Well ... I have a very comprehensive workshop but I've been buying Paynes Polystyrene Hives .. it's the time it takes to make boxes that eludes me so it's not even equipment or ability !

But .. Ely is right .. you can save a lot by making the simpler bits of kit that you will need - even with hand tools it is possible. Or for things like crown boards you can always get ply sheets cut to size by the supplier when you buy them .. B&Q offer a cutting service.

However ... I'm a big fan of insulation and I like the environment provided by poly hives ...and to be honest, they are as cheap (if not cheaper) than the 'budget' timber hives sold by some beekeeping suppliers. The bees seem to thrive in them and a number of commercial beekeepers have stopped using timber hives in favour of poly ... so I tend to think that they wouldn't change if they could not see a benefit ?

 

[BeeJayBee]

These books are written specifically for the British climate.

It's an easy trap to fall into. Which bit of the British climate are they for? Cornwall and the north east of Scotland are both in Britain, but are very different climates.

If somebody on the internet has done their spring inspection in February it shouldn't be the trigger for beekeepers all over the country to rush out and do the same. The most important thing to learn is to match what you do with your bees to your local conditions.

'Foreign' books don't have anything about National hives and beekeeping equipment may have different names, but pretty much everything else is going to be similar.

 

[pargyle]

As for the BBKA publication, well, I suppose you will need something to light your smoker with.

Oh dear ... it's that good is it ?

 

[wessexmario]

Get yourself a hardback notebook to make notes every time you inspect.
You'll be surprised just how much you'll refer back to previous inspections, learn from them, and use the history you've recorded to help make decisions.

 

[Tremyfro]

I have a notebook for each hive....any nucs are written about in the back of the relevant notebook. Also have a Bee barn now for all the Bee Stuff...which is now clearly required!

 

[BrianO]

A mentor! In fact you might need more and while your at it, get a punch bag because your wife can only take some much beatings when your stressed with the bees and the punch bag will come in handy

Lovely... Not !!!

 

[bodlamby]

Great information from everybody.

I've already warned my wife to expect cash shortages, but I'm blaming her anyway.
At the beginning the year she told me to stop talking about keeping bees and get on and actually keep some...

So indirectly, all the costs have already been approved!!

Happy Days

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Great information from everybody.

I've already warned my wife to expect cash shortages, but I'm blaming her anyway.

Whenever SWMBO asks how much an item of beekeeping equipment costs I convert it into girly currence i.e. ' halfashoe,oneshoe etc etc.' she usually pipes down then, when she mutters about the amount of beekeeping kit lying around I just inadvertently trip over...............a shoe that's been left lying around - not very hard to find one