Beekeeping Equipment

All equipment or colonies purchased from another beekeeper should be inspected by a qualified bee inspector.

•All hive equipment should be of the modern Langstroth type with hanging, movable frames.

•All hive equipment should be the standard size for interchanging as needed.

Brood Chamber Area

•Two hive bodies are recommended as the best brood-rearing space.

•A follower board used as a tenth frame in a brood chamber reduces inspection time, prevents damage to the equipment and protects the brood nest from cold winter temperatures.

•One hive body plus one shallow super is the minimum amount of brood-rearing space.

•One hive body or deep super plus an Illinois super is also recommended as a brood chamber.

•Full sheets of brood foundation with crinkled wires embedded vertically are recommended.

•Frames should be wired tightly with two strands of horizontal wire to prevent warping of brood comb.

Supers

•Four to six supers are the minimum number required per strong colony.

•Foundation with crinkled wire embedded vertically should be used in supers to be extracted.

•Use special milled foundation for cut comb or chunk honey.

•Section honey is not recommended for beginners. Production requires a strong colony and a very good honey flow and special management.

•Beekeepers with two or more colonies should have an extractor. The beekeeper should produce three supers of extracted honey for every super of cut comb honey in order to properly pack chunk comb honey.

Extra Equipment

Prepare extra hive bodies, supers, bottom boards and covers. These extra pieces of equipment will be needed to manage colonies. When the extra equipment is readied in advance, you can use as needed when you open a colony.