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Other than my beehives, what equipment will I need?

Many specialized tools are available to help with managing your colony's health and complete beekeeping tasks.

A beekeeper’s job is to know what should be happening inside a beehive, understand how to tell bees are healthy, and what steps to take when that’s not the case. Completing beehive inspections and hive maintenance is absolutely integral to that job, and involves not just manual labor, but specialized tools and other pieces of equipment. That is in addition to the beehive components and the bees themselves, of course!

Hive Management Tools – There are a wide variety of tools involved in beekeeping, often specially designed for completing specific tasks.
- Hive Tool(s): Primarily used to add leverage when prying apart propolized frames or boxes and to scrape off excess burr comb.
- Smoker: A lit bee smoker is an integral tool used during bee inspections to help keep bees calm and reduce the chances of being stung. Don’t forget the fuel!
- Beehive Feeder: Beehive feeders are available for both solid and liquid supplemental feed, with varying designs offered based on food type and placement within the hive.
- Bee Brush (or feather): Used to gently move bees away from spaces you need to work.
- Magnifying Glass: Helps with seeing tiny, but very important things inside the hive, like bee eggs.
Protective Clothing & Equipment – Though bees definitely don’t want to sting you, they may feel it’s necessary if they feel threatened. And agitated bees often can & will find their way into the gaps of your clothing, pantlegs included! No matter your level of experience, keeping yourself protected is extremely important.
- A Full Suit or Jacket
- Beekeeping Gloves
- A Hat with Full Veil
- Boots/Ankle Straps
  - Though technically not a piece of equipment, beekeepers should consider having a plan in place in case of a bee yard emergency and may want to add an epi-pen to their “toolkit” if a bee sting allergy is suspected.
Integrated Pest Management Tools – From varroa mites to mice, and even bears, honeybee colonies encounter many pests and diseases that threaten their survival, but beekeepers can certainly help them mitigate these risks using these tools.
- Varroa Mite Testing Kits & Treatments
- Robbing Screens or Entrance Guards
- Drone Frames: Drone frames can be used to help with monitoring for varroa mites but should be used with caution.
Tools for Bee Yard Management
- Beehive Stand: Ensures beehives aren’t sitting directly on the ground to avoid moisture control issues.
- Beehive Insulation: Find out all about when you should consider using beehive insulation here.
- A Beekeeping Logbook – Whether it’s digitally or pen and paper, note as much as you can about what’s happening in and around the beehive, you’ll later be glad you did!
  - Our amazing collaborator, Marta, has taken her years of experience and created some beautiful resources to help with inspecting your hives and planning out your seasonal tasks.
    - ^ (Please note, these printable resources are aimed to help beekeepers in climates similar to the Northeastern U.S. Beekeeping timelines and suggested actions may vary based on your location)
- Beehive Monitors: Track beehive data & have it sent straight to your phone to keep an eye on things like hive weight, temperature, and humidity conditions.
Honey Harvesting Equipment – Being able to harvest excess honey from your hives is one nice reward of beekeeping, but be sure to answer the question “When can I harvest honey?” before taking any honey from your bees.