Whether you’re keeping a few backyard hives or a large apiary, becoming a beekeeper requires more than just the honey bees themselves—you need a foundational set of equipment to make sure your colony stays healthy and you have a successful honey harvest. While the hive components are the home for the honey bee colony, a specific set of ancillary tools and protective gear is needed for working safely and effectively with your honey bees. Having these items on hand is key for beekeeping.

The Beekeeping Non-Negotiables
Two pieces of equipment are universally recognized as non-negotiable for anyone routinely inspecting or working a honey bee hive: the smoker and the hive tool, both crucial for efficient hive management.

• The Smoker: This device is used to produce cool, thick white smoke, which helps calm the honey bees during inspections. A small smoker can work for one or two hives; however, if you have four or more, you may want to upgrade to a larger size. Burlap, pine needles, wood shavings and cardboard can all be used to help fuel the smoke. The goal is to generate cool white smoke that allows the beekeeper to manipulate the hive with minimal stress to the honey bee colony. This creates the best experience for both the beekeeper and the honey bees.
• The Hive Tool: All beekeepers keep these sturdy metal bars in their back pocket 24/7. Used to pry apart frames, separate hive bodies and scrape away excess wax and propolis (a sticky substance honey bees make to glue parts of the hive together), this tool is considered the Swiss Army Knife of the apiary! Keeping the hive tool clean by simply scraping it helps prevent the spread of honey bee diseases.

How to Prioritize Protection
Protective gear is just as important as the tools, especially for beginners or whenever you’re dealing with more active colonies.

• The Bee Veil: Protecting the face and neck is a must. Whether it’s a standalone or part of a full suit, a veil should be worn over a wide-brimmed hat and stand out away from the face to offer the best protection.
• The Bee Suit: Coveralls or long-sleeved shirts are a great way to protect against bees. The key is to wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Honey bees react unfavorably to dark colors and fuzzy materials. The suit prevents propolis from staining clothing and significantly reduces the chance of stings.
• Gloves: Many experienced beekeepers forgo gloves for ease of handling, but beginners often prefer canvas or leather gloves for peace of mind. Form-fitting gloves can be a good compromise, protecting hands from stings and the stickiness of honey and propolis.
• Securing Openings: Angry honey bees often attack ankles and wrists, so you should always secure pant legs and shirtsleeves with bands or try tucking them into socks and gloves.

The Hive Breakdown
To successfully keep honey bees, you need a solid hive to house the honey bee colony. This man-made item, which serves as the foundation of the operation, has evolved over the years. Each hive consists of several parts:

• Hive Stand and Bottom Board: Elevates the hive off the ground, reducing dampness and serving as the honey bee colony’s floor and landing platform.
• Hive Bodies and Supers: These are the boxes that house the honey bees. The hive bodies are typically used for brood rearing and food storage, while the honey supers are where the surplus honey is stored for harvest. Supers are added and removed regularly to harvest honey.
• Frames and Comb: The internal structure where bees build their comb for honey, pollen, and brood.  Most boxes are standard in size, and honeycombs are built inside wooden frames that can easily be removed from the box for inspection. 
• Inner and Outer Covers: Protect the hive from the weather and provide insulation.
• Queen Excluder: An optional piece of equipment used by some to confine the queen honey bee to the brood nest, ensuring that honey supers contain only honey and honeycomb.

By mastering the use of these tools, beekeepers can efficiently manage their honey bee colonies, maintain high standards of quality and establish a reliable operation. At Nate’s Hives, we’re committed to these best practices—from the smallest to the largest apiary—so we can protect honey bee, craft the highest-quality, best-tasting Nate’s Honey and help drive the success of the entire industry.