10 Must-Have Beekeeping Equipment For Every Kenyan Farmer

Beekeeping is a rewarding and environmentally beneficial practice that has gained popularity among farmers in Kenya.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced beekeeper, having the right equipment is crucial for successful and efficient beekeeping. Savannah Honey, founded ten years ago to build a community of smart, motivated, and socially responsible beekeepers in Africa, has all you need.

Here are 10 must-have beekeeping equipment for every Kenyan farmer found at Savannah Honey:

Langstroth Beehive:

The beehive is the central component of any beekeeping operation. In Kenya, Langstroth Beehives are commonly used.

Langstroth Beehive from Savannah Honey helps you to:

• Harvest honey without killing the queen because of the queen’s excluder thus no absconding,
• Harvest Without destroying the combs by the use of the honey extractor thus no waste of time in making new combs
• Harvest 3-5 times a year leading to high yields of honey,
• They are fitted with treated comb starters for attracting bees and also for helping the bees build combs diagonally.
• They are made of treated pine which makes them long-lasting.
• They are easy to operate when harvesting bee pollen, propolis, bee venom, wax, royal jelly, and honey.

Langstroth beehives are synonymous with beekeeping, and their popularity, as well as effectiveness, has tasted the test of time and it tops our list as a must-have for your beekeeping.

Read Also: Take Advantage Of Langstroth Hives Offer And Make Millions From Honey

Refractometer

The refractometer enables the beekeeper to ensure the quality of honey output is consistent and of the highest quality.

The refractometer works by measuring the refractive index of honey. In principle, when there is a change in fluid concentration, the fluid’s refractive index changes, enabling the beekeeping to assess the quality of honey if it has been diluted with water, or tampered with.

Kenyan consumers are increasingly becoming aware of, and consistently demanding quality, pure, unadulterated honey from farmers.

The refractometer comes in aluminum alloy and has been designed to resist rust and abrasion, ensuring the food-grade safety of the honey. It boasts a refractive optical lens with a great refractive index for accurate measurements.

Kenya Top Bar Hive

The Kenya Top Bar Hive has achieved significant success over the years in beekeeping It is an altered version of the Langstroth beehive, but where the honeycombs are suspended at the center of the bar.

The combs thus hang, and the holding frames can be easily removed and returned, especially during harvesting or during routine inspection of the hives.

Therefore, the combs maintain a natural U-shape, just like they would in a natural, open-air hive, and they have stability in design. There is also space within the hive for bees to move from comb to comb since the combs do not attach to the walls of the internal walls of the hive.

The Kenya Top Bar Hive is relatively cheaper to purchase. On the downside, since the combs are suspended from the top bars, they might run the risk of breaking since they are brittle, so care must be applied during harvesting.

Smoker:

A bee smoker is used to produce smoke that calms the bees during hive inspections. It makes the bees believe that there is a fire nearby, prompting them to gorge on honey. This calms them and reduces the likelihood of aggressive behavior during inspections.

The highest safety standards must be ensured during honey harvesting, and routine checks on beehives during normal apiary management. Our Bee Smoker has been designed to guarantee the farmer’s safety, as well as the bees.

It is commonly understood that smoke helps in making bees calm during harvesting by disguising defense pheromones—2-heptanone and isopentyl acetate—making them more docile during these critical operations.

The smoker is easy to use and has sturdy leather bellows to fan the flame of your fuel, as well as a heat shield to prevent the farmer from burning during usage. This simple design is user-friendly and can be operated by novice beekeepers. Furthermore, you can use local fuel to fire the smoker such as charcoal, dry wood, and grass, making it highly applicable for Kenyan beekeepers.

Read Also: Money Is In Honey, Utilize Your Land And Smile To The Bank

Bee Venom Collector

Bee Venom is a leading product of beekeeping and farmers can leverage this resource to boost their income.

Bee venom is a clear liquid excreted by bees through their stingers when they feel endangered. This is an acidic compound containing both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties and has widespread medicinal applications.

The Bee Venom collector is an electronic device powered by 2 AA batteries that release a small electric shock that stimulates bees to release their venom. It is simple to set up and use and is placed at the bottom of the hive, ensuring ease of use and safety of the hive.

The Bee Venom Collector comes with a micro-processor that enables its efficient use, within multiple hives per day. It is encased in high-quality MDF to ensure durability of the device, and ease of use in varying weather conditions. It requires little or no maintenance since the battery can power the device for days.

Propolis Collector 

This trap collection is designed in the form of a frame and is useful for collecting propolis, a by-product from beehives. Propolis is a gum-like greenish-brownish paste used by bees to coat hives. This coating helps to seal off the hives and is used to keep off pests and prevent external contamination from outward sources.

Propolis has been for ages used as a medicinal healer for wounds, and abscesses, and boasts antioxidants. The propolis collector is made from high-grade plastic, that is rugged and designed for repeated use. It also boasts of non-hazardous plastic frame that is perforated to allow for the flow of air, for optimum performance during routine usage.

Pollen Trap

The Pollen Trap accessory is designed to make the beekeeper’s life easier by enabling him to collect pollen with little movement of the hive, and no need to lift the beehive.

It is ventilated and is suitable for enabling bees to enter and exit the hive with ease. Furthermore, the accessory is made from sturdy, non-toxic plastic, that works best in all conditions. You can thus collect the pollen without interfering with the hive. It nonetheless requires that the Queen Excluder be removed before pollen harvesting and that all entrances be sealed for safe and optimal use.

Read More:

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• Invest in Honey and always smile to the bank

Double-Sided Sieve

The stainless-steel double-sided sieve is ideal for straining honey after harvesting, thereby removing impurities from the final product.

It is made from food-grade steel, and the strainer is fine and double-placed to give you the best service during honey sieving. Furthermore, the sieve is made to be impervious to corrosion, and oxidation, thereby ensuring honey safety. It can be easily cleaned and reused.

The sieve boasts an adjustable girth and arms to work well with different buckets of varying diameters. For clean, impurity-free honey output, this accessory is perfect for you.

Beekeeping Suit

The beekeeper’s safety cannot be over-emphasized during honey harvesting and routine maintenance. Indeed, the African tropical bees are very aggressive creatures so adequate protection is required when handling.

Our beekeeping suits are designed to protect you when coming into close contact with bees—covering you from head to toe. Made from exceptional material, the suits which are derived from cotton and polyester fibers, also ensure your comfort during usage. The suits also have pockets enabling you to store requisite items when in use. In addition, the suit is fitted with elastic bands to seal off any entry points for bees, guaranteeing your safety during usage, as the bees cannot gain contact with your skin surface.

With a well-ventilated design, you can be sure of relative comfort under our Kenyan sweltering sunny conditions, as you work on the apiary.

Moreover, with appropriate openings, you can use the mesh fiber freely when in need. The lightweight design also adds a layer of comfort to the farmer as you use it for safety.

Beekeeping Gloves

During beekeeping operations, the safety of your hands requires maximum protection for you, and the bees. Our beekeeping gloves are made from cowhide, making them safe for use against aggressive beestings, and durable enough to guarantee you years of service.

With adequate ventilation, your hands get to breathe, avoiding excessive sweating, especially during the hot season, thereby giving you comfort, and for the apiary safety.

We offer these gloves in varying sizes to ensure an optimal fit for each user, and with extra arm and sleeve protection, you can have peace of mind since no bees with be able to crawl in and deliver their sting.

There is a canvas lay that provides extra protection. You can also opt for the thinner goatskin variety especially when sensitive operations that require greater accuracy are needed.

Read Also: The Scarce Bee Venom Honey For Skin And Immune Health For HIV/AIDs Now In Kenya

Savannah Honey also provides a ready market for all beekeeping products through 5 years contract i.e Honey @kshs 500 /kg, Propolis @kshs 1,900 /kg, Bee pollen @kshs 6,800/kg, Wax @kshs 700 per kg, Royal Jelly @kshs 38,000 per kg, Bee Venom 4,000/gram.

Get in touch with them on 0724052975, 0721965337, info@savannahhoneyafrica.com, www.savannahhoneyafrica.com.