Beekeeping Tools and Equipment

Beekeeping is definitely a profitable business and it doesn’t require a very large investment. But you still need a set of essential tools and equipment in order to become a successful beekeeper and run a business that earns you money. So here are essential equipment which every beekeeper should have.

Hives

The first and the most important thing is hives where your bees will live. Beehives come in different shapes and sizes. Deciding what type of hive you want to use entirely depends on your personal choice. Langstroth hives are quite popular these days but you can go for the one which best suits your needs.

Frame

The frames are made up of wood and it is used by bees to create their hives. This is the place where bees live and produce honey. Now frames are also of two types. First one is a regular frame and second is a frame with the plastic foundation which makes the task of creating honeycomb easier for the bees. This way they spend more time creating and storing honey.

Smoker

It is an essential item for every beekeeper as it keeps the bees away while handing the hive. This is the only way to protect yourself from getting stung by the bees.

Smokers generally cost a few bucks but it is of huge importance.

Hive tools

Another necessity is the hive tool. This is also a less expensive item but every beekeeper must have one of these tools. This tool is used for pulling frames apart as bees create a kind of glue which keep things stuck together and pulling or separating the same is quite difficult.

Queen catcher

This tool is used for catching the queen bee if you want to keep is separated from other bees for a while. This is a handy tool and this reduces the risk of queen getting injured or even dying while handling her.

Bee suit

You just cannot expose yourself in front of large colonies of bees without a protecting suit as you will get stung very badly. This makes bee suit a necessity. It includes a suit, gloves, helmet, and shoes.

Essential oils

Essential oils serve a variety of purposes from attracting the bees to the hive to protecting the colonies from mite and much more. In addition to that, it also protects the hives from hive beetles which can destroy the entire colony in no time. But you must only go for natural scents like lemon, sunflower, grass etc.

Supplement

Sugar and other supplements are needed at some point because there will be times when your bees might not be able to get essential pollens. During this time, you need to feed your bees with sugar solutions to keep them healthy and energetic.

Bees

You also need to purchase your bees, including workers, queen and drones, if you are just starting in the field of beekeeping. Bees could be purchased from a nearby beekeeper and their price depends on your location and the beekeeper.

These are some of the essential tools you are going to need for keeping bees healthy and running a profitable business.