Gift Suggestions for Beekeepers

by | Dec 1, 2014 | Resources

Know a beekeeper? Interested in some gift suggestions? Surprise your favorite beekeeperl!  — CIBA has put together a Beekeepers Gift List

Equipment Items Smaller

  • Pocket Bucket Organizer. ($10) Canvas, pushes down into a 5-gal bucket. (Example is item #94868 at Harbor Freight)
  • Extra hive tools, J-hook hive tool (Dadant $11.95) or an upgraded Kent Williams (Kelley $19.95) — Beekeepers can always use another hive tool.
  • A bigger stainless smoker (Dadant $44.00).
  • Smoker fuel:
    • Commercial
    • “Roll your own”: Burlap scrap pieces, pine shavings, etc

Equipment Items (More expensive – Nice to have )

  • Extra frames, deep and/or medium as appropriate. (Having extras is always useful. – When one needs them, one needs them NOW. 😉
  • Map gas canister and automatic starter, for quickly lighting smokers
  • Extra Jacket with Veil – $90 up (Check suppliers)
  • 2 or 4 frame extractor. ($250 on up)
    • Light weight plastic one is fine for someone with only a few hives.
    • Stainless steel is nice, and comes in larger sizes, but much more expensive.
    • Go to websites of larger dealers. Also check Amazon
  • Extraction aids
    • Stainless Steel Strainers ($30 to $60)
    • Decapping knife
      • “Cold knife” ($30)
      • Heated knife ($50 – $60)
    • Uncapping Scratcher ($8)
  • Refractometer (MannLake $75.95)

Books/Journals

  • ABJ (American Bee Journal) – Easiest to call: (888) 922-1293 or (217) 847-3324
    • Annual Subscription $28, ($21 if you tell them you a member of the Central Indy Beekeepers Association. – No proof necessary, just remember to tell them )
    • Digital online version $16. Includes access to past three years issues.
  • First Lessons in Beekeeping, Keith S. Delaplane ($7). — Often recommended for new beekeepers.
  • First Lessons in Beekeeping) C. P. Dadant. ($7), Old classic, nice to have for the price.
  • Wisdom for Beekeepers: 500 Tips for Successful Beekeeping, James E. Tew. (Retired Ohio State professor; was also speaker at the 2014IBA Fall Conference.) ($15.) Written in a format consisting of short entries, good points, easy to follow.
  • The Classroom: Beekeeping Questions and Answers, Jerry Hayes ($16), Classic. Good content, full of questions and answers, easy to follow.)
  • Backyard Beekeeper: An absolute beginners guide to keeping bees in your yard. 3rd edition. Kim Flottum. ($20)
  • The Honeybee democracy, Thomas D Seeley (Amazon $19.86)
  • Beekeepers Bible, Richard Jones (Amazon $23.79)
  • Natural Beekeeping: Organic approaches to modern apiculture, 2nd edition. Ross Conrad and Gary Paul Nabhan. ($24)
  • Honey Bee Biology, Dewey M. Caron (Amazon $42.95)
  • Practical Beekeeper Beekeeping Naturally, Michael Bush (Amazon $46.72 hard back all 3 volumes) or (Paperback each volume Amazon $17.00)

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