Starting a Bee Hive

All beehives must be registered with the Department of Primary Industries in your State.

What you need to get started .

Please note that some items will need to be assembled as they are sold in kit form.

DPI Pack Registration forms etc QLD Free

Hive Body

1 Complete Bottom Board 10 frame $ 12.10

Replace the line above with either

Option A : Complete Bottom Board 10 frame Details

Option B:  Complete Bottom Board 10 frame in Metal or Weathertex Details

1 Super ( which is the main box ) 10 Frame $ 17.50

1 complete Lid 10 Frame $ 18.90

10 Frames ( Full Depth ) $ 12.00

10 Sheets of Full Depth Foundation ( wax Sheets ) $ 11.50

1 600 Gram Roll of Wire $ 12.60

100 Eyelets $ 3.50

1 x 50 Gram Pack of Tacks $ 3.60

65 mm x 2.8 mm Flat Head Nails ( 250 Gram ) Pack $ 3.50

40 mm x 1.8 mm Flat Head Nails ( 250 Gram ) Pack $ 4.55 Not Available

25 mm x 1.4 mm Flat Head Nails ( 250 Gram ) Pack $ 8.30 Not Available

1 Spur wheel Embedder $ 13.75

1 Embedding Board $ 6.00

1 Emlock & strap $ 8.55

1 Entrance Closer $ 3.30

TOTAL $ 139.65

Once the hive is assembled and painted you are ready to

introduce the bees known as a ( neucleus ) Around $85.00

Protective Clothing

1 Veil from $ 10.95 or Full Suit $ 165.00

1 Pair of Gloves $ 24.00

Tools

1 Bee Brush $ 12.00

1 Hive Tool $ 18.00

1 Smoker $ 60.00

When the hive is full of honey

1 Uncapping Knife ( Steam which requires a boiler or presure cooker on a gas burner ) $ 112.00

or an Electric Hot Knife 240 volt. $ 238.00

1 Honey Extractor ( 2 Frame hand turn econnomy ) $ 440.00

How do I get a hive of bees?

The simplest way is to buy a single hive from a local beekeeper. This will consist of a brood box and lid, eight or ten frames, a queen and around 15,000 worker bees.

The downside, for a new beekeeper, is the difficulty of inspecting the brood and finding the queen, in a fully populated hive.

A better way to learn, is to buy the box, frames, lid etc and assemble the brood box yourself. Then purchase a nucleus hive which consists of 4 or 5 drawn combs, a young queen and sufficient bees to cover the frames. You place these in the brood box you have made.

With the nucleus hive, it is easier for a beginner to observe the hive, inspect the frames and find the queen.

Experienced beekeepers often capture a swarm to start a new hive. This is not recommended for beginners.

Joining a local beekeeping club is highly recommended. A book with clear diagrams/ pictures and relevant to your country is also of great value. In Australia "The Bee Book", published by the Queensland DPI (Dept Primary Industries), is an excellent manual. We normally stock this book, and a list of local clubs.