The right supplies must be used in beekeeping. Beekeeping is a hobby that could be dangerous. But, beekeepers can minimize their chances of being injured by using the right supplies. Many supplies are needed in the extraction of the honey but there are also some that beekeepers need to properly manage and maintain the colonies of bees.
A large aspect of beekeeping is keeping the beekeeper safe while tending to the bees. They do this in some ways. One way that beekeepers protect themselves is by wearing protective clothing. Protective clothing includes a hat and veil, gloves, and a beekeeping suit. The face is the most vulnerable part of the body that can be stung. Even experienced beekeepers need to protect their faces with a hat and veil. The beekeeping suit consists of a lightweight, white full-length suit. It is not easily penetrable by the bee’s stinger protecting the beekeeper from the bee’s venom. Although some beekeepers find wearing gloves too cumbersome while performing delicate beekeeping tasks, gloves serve as an important part of protecting beekeepers’ hands while working with the colony.
Most beekeepers also use a “smoker” as a way to calm the bees to work with them. A smoker is a device that is designed to emit smoke by using various fuels. Many different natural types of fuel can be used in a smoker. Some beekeepers use fuels like hessian, twine, burlap, pine needles, corrugated cardboard, or rotten wood. Beekeepers can also use fuels like pulped paper and compressed cotton or even aerosol cans of smoke. The smoke initiates a feeding response within the bees in preparation for possibly leaving the hive due to a fire. The smoke also masks the alarm pheromones released by the colony’s guard bees when they sense an intruder. As the colony is confused, the beekeeper has an opportunity to open the hive and work without triggering a defensive reaction.
Although bees are more than capable of finding food on their own, some beekeepers supplement their bee’s diet with sugar syrup. This prevents starvation during bad times of the year and also stimulates the laying of eggs. For beekeepers to feed their bees, they use a feeder. Different kinds of feeders are available to beekeepers. Hive top, pail, or division boards can be used as inside feeders during the winter. During the summer, when the bees are most active outside of the hive, an entrance feeder can be used.
The largest part of keeping bees has to do with what you house them in. Beekeepers use artificial hives to house their bee colonies. They use a wax foundation to encourage bees to build comb in a way that is convenient for the beekeeper to harvest. Foundation is a thin sheet of wax with a hexagonal cell base pattern embossed on both sides of it. It also assists the bees so that they do not have to use as much effort in the construction of the combs.
