Beekeeping Basics – Equipment

Alright, at this point I’m sure you’ve put a lot of time and effort into assessing if beekeeping is right for you in addition to thinking about where you’re bees will live and how you will approach taking care of them.  If you haven’t done so already, please check out my 3 Things to Think About Before You Get Started and my Hive & Home posts.

Next up is actually purchasing your beekeeping equipment.

Now, beekeeping is not an inexpensive endeavor to undertake.  Unless you can get a great deal on some used equipment through a place like Craigslist, you are looking at a several hundred dollar up front investment in your new beekeeping hobby.  I don’t say this to scare you off of beekeeping, but simply to be real about the cost.  We went into beekeeping knowing there would be a significant upfront cost so it helped soften the Beekeeping Equipment Blow.

Additionally, if you or someone close to you feels confident that building your hive is doable, I highly recommend doing so.  Though the cost of materials and time must be factored in, it will be much cheaper than purchasing a pre-essembled hive.

Below you will find links to all of the equipment one needs to start off beekeeping.  Though most beekeeping equipment starter kits you find online do not include a full suit, I have included one on my list due to my bee allergy and my own necessity for wearing one when working with the hive.

Hive

• Top Bar Plans – Click HERE to see the plans we used or HERE for a variety of other choices
• Pre-Essembled Top Bar Hive – This pre-essembled top bar hive is pretty cool, though it is also quite expensive
• Warre Plans
• Langstroth Plans

Basic Equipment

• Bee Suit with hat and veil
• Helmet/hat with veil
• Leather gloves
• Smoker with heat shield
• Tinder/smoker fuel
• Bee Brush
• Hive Tool

Once you have your bees on order and your equipment on it’s way, you can either fill your time with the actual building of your hive or the planning and planting of your native wild flowers to help feed your future bees and all of their pollinator friends. Good luck and have fun!!!

xoxo,
M

Linking up to the Homestead Barn Hop #151, Homemade Mondays #72