John's Beekeeping Notebook
Beekeeping Gadgets
This page has a collection of items from Texas and elsewhere. Hope this gives you an idea or two.
Mouse Guard
This mouse-guard entrance reducer keeps Mickey, Mighty and Topo Gigio out of the hive. It's made from a board with 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch wire cloth stapled to it. It also reduces winter winds.
Moving Screen
The moving screen (right) allows plenty of airflow when moving colonies. Not shown is a companion wood-framed screen cover that is useful in the summer months, and doubles as a screened split board.
Hive Lifter
This two person hive lifter makes moving most colonies easy. Less squatting, less back strain, and allows a good, firm grip on hives.
Split Board
A split board (not shown) is similar to an inner cover with no hole in the middle. It provides a small entrance for the bees above the split board. When placed between hive bodies, it effectively splits one colony into two. I find split boards helpful for hatching queen cells and raising a few queens when I find swarm cells in my best colonies.
Watering System
From Romania.
Queen Catcher
Just put the large opening (see on thumb at right) over the queen and a cage on the long end, and she will walk down the tube and into the cage. From Poland.
Swarm basket
This swarm basket can be placed on the end of a pole. It is placed under a swarm that has clustered on a tree branch, and shaken against the branch so the bees fall into the basket. The bees are then poured into a hive. From Romania.
[ Gadgets from Apimondia '99 ]
Tips . . . . [ Feeding ] [ Nucs ] [ My Bees ] [ Axioms ] [ Ukraine ] [ You know.... ]
[ Home ] [ Observation Hives ] [ Queens ] [ Fiji ] [ Top Bar Hives ] [ History ] [ Tips ] [ Links ]