"Look for the.... bare necessities, the simple...."

Ok, so you wise older f*rts tend to be welcoming to us newbies (on the whole). And I've had good advice about reading up on things in the next few months before I can get my own herd.

Answer me this: bearing in mind people seem to find their single colony expands unexpectedly, what would you think is a minimum list of hives/equipment a prudent newbie should get?

(And bearing in mind 'Er indoors reminds me we're not made of money.)

If it helps, I've got 1 complete (empty!) hive w Ashforth feeder, smoker, suit, hive tool....

Dusty Rhodes said:

Ok, so you wise older f*rts tend to be welcoming to us newbies (on the whole). And I've had good advice about reading up on things in the next few months before I can get my own herd.

Answer me this: bearing in mind people seem to find their single colony expands unexpectedly, what would you think is a minimum list of hives/equipment a prudent newbie should get?

(And bearing in mind 'Er indoors reminds me we're not made of money.)

If it helps, I've got 1 complete (empty!) hive w Ashforth feeder, smoker, suit, hive tool....

Click to expand...

Hives

first year, hive plus two supers

second year hive, four supers two crown boards plus a Nuc is the minimum, ( + if they can afford it a floor ,api eke, roof aa an extra insurance emergency hive)

though i tell beginners to buy and extra, stand, two supers, brood box, two crown boards and a floor as well as the nuc

OK started with bees this year so I commenced with stand, OMF brood box and three supers (As advised) did an AS in early August, they still swarmed so I split further into a nuc, then the Queen on the original hive got into the super. I managed comfortably as I also had one spare brood, floor and roof and a 5 frame nuc but i did get a bit twitchy by the end of the season (after obtaining a few bits and pieces extra!).
So in my opinion - one colony you should double up on most things with maybe a spare nuc; two colonies one set of everything plus one spare, after that . well not much different.
But to paraphrase Monty Python - still expect the unexpected!!
exreacted my first 10 pounds or so of honey today! (just thought I'd mention it)
By the way - i'm not n old fa^t - just a miserable one!

Can't add to the replies so far, but I do want to congratulate you on that photo! Is that what passes for a bee beard in Manchester?

You need to aim to have two colonies (at least). Life is much easier when you have two - if you need eggs (for a test frame) you just take one from the other hive rather than frantically trying to get one from someone in the local association. You can balance the brood between the two, swap them over to give a weaker one a boost of foragers etc.

So two operating hives as a minimum. Then you need to deal with swarming. So you need another two. They don't need to be first class hives, they can be cheap ply boxes banged together - but you need to be able to artificially swarm each of your hives.

So I would say 4 hives is the minimum after a year. We started with two, and now have, er, 10 colonies. I've had to get pretty good at making ply hives....

And yes, that photo is cracking!

2 home-built top-bar hives, 2 swarms, white boiler suit, bee veil, marigolds, smoker and hive tool, well under £150 the lot!

OK, in my profligacy these are my first year's purchases (not including livestock!)
New:
2 x cedar hives incl stands, OMF, crown boards and 2 supers each
P*ynes poly nuc
4 queen excluders (first two plastic rubbish)
Frames and foundation (too much - overstocked)
Tools - pin pusher, tack hammer, long-nosed pliers etc (and Dremel drill/tool kit as I had the excuse - actually very useful)
Hive tool, smoker
Two suits, first one rubbish from eBay lasted 6 months
Gloves, and now box of disposable blue nitrile gloves
Extra crown board and porter bee escapes
Plastic frame feeder, subsequently rubbished on here fortunately before I'd drowned bees
Two sizes of contact feeder
Queen marking pens, queen clip, foam plunger marking cage
Queen rearing kit as I'd love to have a go in the future and wanted to play with it

Bought at auction and renovated:
Miller feeder, Ashforth feeder
Taylor's poly extractor - (cage removed, blasted and recoated and new gate)
Thornes poly ripening tank (came with the extractor)
Lovely old travelling box, can hold ten National frames for transit

Lots of buckets various sizes from the bakery at Marshfield

Home made:
Crownboard
Dividing boards
Dummy boards
Inspection cover-cloth
Bits and pieces

And all the other things I've forgotten

No more . . . . . . please? I daren't imagine what I've spent!

Worth every hard-earned penny for the pleasure the bees give.

Oh - and no honey this year!!!!!

1st year at least 10 complete hives to accomodate all the local swarms you get offered once people know your a "expert" beekeeper.

2nd year i dont know yet!!

Thank you, guys and gals, for your responses - and for you kind thoughts about my photo. In my local association, people only know who they're talking to when I walk away; I often hear them mutter, "That's the bum I mean".

Anyhow, I don't think you're really trying.

Ok, so I need 2 (or 4, or 10) complete hives, plus a nucleus, plus a few other bits and bobs - including a good divorce lawyer.

What else? What do I need that you experienced keepers carry in the bottom of those bags you seem to have? Drawing pins for identifying frames? Round things with pointy bits for trapping queens? Swiss army knife with a thing-for-getting-stones-out-of-bees-hooves.........?

Remember, not only do I want to spend the kids' inheritance, but it's nearly Christmas.....

A

OK, you asked for it!
Cork to stuff in the smoker spout to suffocate it.
Another cork with drawing pins in it
Packet of Piriton (Boots equivalent)
Vaseline
Little hand-spray with water in it
Small phial of lemon-grass essential oil
Ditto vanilla

That shouldn't break the bank.

PS you won't often need any of it other than the cork for the smoker, but you'll find everyone else borrows it all at apiary meetings, and all the rest of the gear in your copious pockets.

PS I omitted mouse-guards in my previous list.

In my case it's not a bag but a 4 compartment cleaners tool holder.

In addition to Headnavigator's list it also contains:
spare smoker fuel
a syringe
a container for scraped off wax/propolis

Cazza

in addition to the above lists,
hive straps (2minimum)
spare hive tool ( you will lose one! )
boxes of matches
drawing pins ( I keep one stuck in back of each hive, it's there when I need it)
magnifying glass

regards, tony

tonybloke,

boxes of matches

Not likely!! The Pogo has been replaced with a Saxo!

Regards, RAB

oliver90owner said:

tonybloke,

boxes of matches

not likely!! The pogo has been replaced with a saxo!

Regards, rab

Click to expand...

lol

I thought it was a case of spontaneous auto combustion.....no matches required

to add to the list for the kit to carry
i also have a
gas lighter(creme brulee torch)
gas refill
a few queen cages
3 queen catching thingies depending on where she is.
sealable pot for scrapings
hammer and nails for repairing frames
small bit of fondant for pluging cages.
a frame holder
and lastly but very importantly a scalpal for cuting out queen cells
ohh and a bee brush but i dont like to use it but have had to 5 times this year.

ps i dont use a cork for the smoker i use some grass to bung it up.

My beebox contains much of the above plus

• Porters and/or bits of wood to cover the feed holes
• Spare gloves (nitrils can rip easily)
• Queen marking pens and cage for that rare occasion when I see one
• Foam for temporary narrowing of an entrance
• Stanley knife
• Ductape
• Vasaline (for over propolised runners)

plus if dealing with a particularly viscous colony a zapper for those that follow over 50 yards

Monsieur Abeille said:

a zapper for those that follow over 50 yards

Click to expand...

Can you elaborate? I could do with such a thing.

greatbritishhoney said:

Can you elaborate? I could do with such a thing.

Click to expand...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Executioner-Wasp-Bug-Zapper-Insect-Swat-Fly-Swatter-/310166472289

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