The tools for beekeeping are minimal. There is room for personal preference as well as price point when it comes to beekeeping. Initial research will indicate you need to consider the cost up front. Beekeeping isn’t cheap. You need a complete hive, a bee suit or bee jacket with veil, a hive tool, gloves that do not impair your dexterity and a smoker. Then of course you need the bees themselves. Secondarily, a honey extractor, uncapping tool, honey sieve and collection bucket with a honey gate.
I learned quickly to garner as much as I could by reading product descriptions, poured through product reviews to pick up on necessary features to look for before I jumped on the add to cart button.
One might not consider books tools but I do. I purchased Beekeeping for Dummies 4th Edition by Howland Blackiston and then The Backyard Beekeeper 4th Was Edition by Kim Flottum
Beekeeping for Dummies provides an excellent logical and orderly way of presenting the basics. This allows you to quickly learn from the start and then through the seasons and hive growth. The Backyard Beekeeper has many colorful pictures and thorough explanations which is excellent for a newer beekeeper who has some hands on experience already. It fills in where Beekeeping for Dummies glosses over. So together they complement each other.
For the Beekeeper
- Bee suit with veil
- Smoker
- Hive tool
For the bees
- Hive
- Feeder
- Oxalic acid vaporizer
- Mite treatment
- Source of water
Suppliers
There are many local beekeeping suppliers along with those with national reach. In the future my vision is to be able to refer you with active links.
Personally I like to not over spend on equipment if I can still get something of quality. Amazon and eBay have good buys but you need to be knowledgeable about the products you are looking for.
Witten Creek Beez 