Members Tips.

[BKF Admin]

Anyone got any top tips?

Lets see how many we can add to the thread.

My first tip:

Go buy a ?3 sweatband from a sports shop,it stops your eyes stinging with salt if you do a midday inspection at 30c during the hight of summer.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Tie a length of string to your hive tool,easier to find if you drop it in the grass. carry a sharp pocket knife.

 

[tony350i]

when moving hives have the lugs off the frames pointing to the front of the trailer/car or in my case pickup and this should minimize squashing bees when braking.

 

[BKF Admin]

Hivemaker I added a penknife to my car keys last summer and am amazed just how many times I used it,I cant keep bees without one now.

 

[Polyanwood]

Put a few drawing pins in a matchbox in your pocket, then when you want to mark a fame with a queen cell you don't have to look for one.

 

[Markbee]

Gloves

dont waste your money on "beekeeping" leather gloves.

Just use Tesco value "marrigold" ones at 40p for 2 pairs.

When they are to sticky bin them

 

[grizzly]

A toolbelt is also useful, in goes the hive tool with string, drawing pins, queen trapping device, queen marker pen, penknife, porter escapes, etc etc.

I also like to use a head torch sometimes, as my bees are sheltered, this helps me see right into the bottom of the cell without losing my grip on the frame.

 

[Poly Hive]

Cut a sheet of ply to fit your hive, and cut out a hole to match the diss-similar super you can then put on top. also handy for uniting say a nat to a lang.

PH

 

[BKF Admin]

Poly hive I was only thinking about this 10 minutes ago!

I have a new Lang that I want to use next year and was trying to think how to put them together(with a Nat)and get them to draw out the Lang foundation.

 

[Poly Hive]

Cut the sheet of ply as described and put the Lang on top and if you have one put in a frame feeder to get them up and building. Once the Q is up, a day or two then pop in the excluder, job done.

 

[Frisbee]

The hive tool held like a dagger in your hand is very useful for chopping frozen carrots for the pony



(sorry)

Frisbee

 

[Heather]

Have painted my hive tool yellow and white stripes - less easy to lose

 

[iombeeman]

i paint mine bright red ,tie a long bit of string to it and still lose them.
i usually find them just after i`ve bought another one

 

[Poly Hive]

not a tip more a statement of sods law... LOL

 

[tony350i]

if you want natural cell comb in the brood nest and are using empty frame to achieve this , place empty frame between fully drawn frames and keep the hive level for best results.

Tony

 

[Widdershins]

Wear a baseball cap with a large peak under your veil