Equipment Needed by Urban Beekeepers

Beekeeping today has become a popular concept globally. While some do it just to harvest some fresh honey for themselves, there are others who just pursue it as a hobby. Beekeeping is also done on a large scale either for agricultural purposes or to harvest honey and related products such as beeswax, among others. Are you considering to take up beekeeping? Read this article to get to know what exactly you need to maintain and grow your apiary.

What are the Common Equipments that You Need for Efficient Beekeeping Practices?

Protective Gear and Beekeeping Suits-

To avoid getting stung by the bees, the best practice is to use protective gear at all times when managing the apiary. The protective gear normally includes full body suits with thick gloves and helmets. The helmets even have a mesh covering the face to allow the beekeeper to see through. Though there are some people that omit protective clothing, it is not recommended to do so for beginners.

The Smoker-

One of the most widely used tools in beekeeping, the device is used to render the bees in the hive docile and manageable. How does this work? When smoke is present in a hive, it rids the bees of their ability to communicate. With no messages of danger or alarms being sent out through the hive, apiary management tasks such as extracting honey, inspecting the hive and other similar activities can be done with ease.

The Hive Tool-

This is a multipurpose tool that is commonly used in beekeeping practices. They have one tapered flat end and the other end, which is curved. It is commonly used for

·       Cut open the honeycomb for inspection or extraction.

·       Squash unwanted pests or intruders.

·       Scraping the combs

·       Prying open heavy or sticky frames, and much more.

The Extractor-

This tool is mainly used for extracting honey out of your frames without damaging the frame or the combs. The main benefit of this is that the comb and the frame can be reused again and again. How do they work? They have large baskets that hold the frames in place and collect honey. Through spinning rotors and centrifugal force, they separate the honey from the frames efficiently.

Bee Brush-

This is an optional tool that is used to keep the bees away from your workspace. They contain soft bristles which can be used to push away the bees from honey, frames, or other similar areas.

Is Investing in Beekeeping Equipment Really Necessary?

The commonly used beekeeping equipments usually evoke mixed reactions from the beekeepers. For instance, wearing protective gear can definitely protect you from stings and bruises. However, there are many beekeepers who avoid gear as it robs them off their dexterity and personal touch. So the tools mentioned above or usually improvised and used accordingly depending on the preferences of the beekeeper. There are also many DIY kits that you can make yourself when it comes to common beekeeping equipment without having to shell out much money or time.