Peak Hives recommended kit for new beekeepers.

For new beekeepers (and there’s plenty, including me) I thought it might be worth while suggesting what I would think of buying as a first apiary set up.

If you’re good with a hammer, nails, glue, flat surface and *JOINERS SQUARE* then:

2 x Flat Pack of the default national hive configuration you see when you load up this page.  Add on a crown board and choose which type of metalwork you require for the brood box and supers (I’d recommend metal runners throughout and then use frame spacers to start off with – this can be changed over later to castellated spacers for the super easily enough should you wish)

And then choose which floor you want.  Most go for the Varroa Floor with slide out tray but many experienced beekeepers go for a standard floor.

Then timber.  Cedar is good for two reasons…1. it’s light.  A national super full of honey is already heavy enough.  2. Cedar is naturally resistant to rot.  Red Deal on the other hand is notably cheaper and will make a robust hive (provided you take care of it, which is easily done.  There’s plenty of houses round here built in the victorian era with original Red Deal doors because they’ve been well maintained).

That recommendation is to go with 1 nucleus colony.  The nucleus goes into hive number 1 and then when (possibly) a month later it swarms you have hive number 2 in which to put the swarm.  It’s said that it’s easier to manage two hives than 1.  And safer too.  1 Hive + 1 Disaster = No Bees!

Of course if you’re not entirely confident about your assembly skills then perhaps choose the same set up but pre-assembled here at Peak Hives.  Assembling a hive when you’ve done it lots of times is one thing but doing it for the first time can be a bit daunting.

Happy beekeeping 2010!

Nick