1.1 Materials, tools and equipment for preparing the apiary

An apiary is a place where beehives are kept. Before hives are set up, the site has to be cleared, levelled where needed, marked out and fitted with hive stands or hanging posts, and this work needs the right materials, tools and equipment. Using suitable, well-maintained tools makes the work faster, keeps the beekeeper safe and gives a tidy apiary that is easy to inspect and harvest.

Example: a beekeeping group in Koibatek keeps a shared tool box with pangas, slashers, a jembe, an auger and a tape measure that members borrow when preparing new apiaries.

Materials used in preparing an apiary

• Posts and poles: treated timber or hardwood posts for hive stands, hanging frames and the fence.
• Wire and nails: strong galvanised wire for hanging hives between posts, and nails or staples for fixing it.
• Grease or used engine oil: smeared on hanging wires and stand legs to stop ants and other crawling pests from reaching the hives.
• Fencing materials: barbed wire, chain link or thorny live-fence cuttings such as Kei apple or euphorbia to keep out animals and people.
• Shade materials: grass thatch, iron sheets or planted shade trees to protect hives from the afternoon sun.
• Water containers: a trough or basin with floating sticks or stones so that bees can drink without drowning.
• Signboards: warning signs such as "Beware of bees" placed at entrances and paths.

Panga

A panga is a long, broad-bladed cutting tool used to clear bushes, cut branches and trim overgrown vegetation on the apiary site. It is also used to sharpen posts and cut poles to length.

• Use: clearing shrubs and low branches around hive positions and along paths and the fence line.
• Safe use: hold it firmly, cut away from the body and keep other people at a safe distance.
• Care: keep it sharp with a file, clean off sap after use, oil the blade to prevent rust and store it in a sheath or rack.

Slasher

A slasher is a long-handled tool with a curved blade used to cut grass and soft weeds close to the ground. Short grass around the hives reduces hiding places for pests such as ants, snakes and wax moths and lowers the risk of grass fires.

• Use: cutting grass under and around hive stands and along apiary paths.
• Safe use: swing it low and away from the feet, and check the area for stones and stumps first.
• Care: sharpen the blade, check that the handle is firmly fixed, clean and oil it after use.
• Timing: slash in the cool of the morning or evening near occupied hives, and avoid vibrating or knocking the hives.

Jembe

A jembe is a hoe used for digging, levelling the ground and removing weeds with their roots. In the apiary it is used to dig trenches for the fence, prepare holes for live-fence cuttings, level the ground under hive stands and make firebreaks.

• Use: levelling hive positions, digging drainage channels so that water does not collect under hives, and making a firebreak around the apiary.
• Safe use: wear closed shoes and keep a safe distance between workers.
• Care: clean off soil, keep the edge sharp and fix a loose handle before use.

Auger

An auger is a tool with a spiral bit used to bore round holes in the ground or in wood. A post-hole auger digs neat, deep holes for hive stand legs, hanging posts and fence posts with less soil disturbance than a jembe, while a wood auger or hand drill bores holes in timber for joints and the entrance holes of some hives.

• Use: digging post holes to the right depth, commonly about 60 cm for hanging posts so that they stay firm under the weight of full hives.
• Types: manual (hand-turned) augers and motorised augers for large apiaries.
• Safe use: keep hands and loose clothing away from a motorised auger and check for buried pipes and cables.
• Care: clean soil from the spiral, oil it and store it dry.

Tape measure

A tape measure is used to measure and mark distances when laying out the apiary. Correct spacing makes inspection easier, reduces drifting of bees between hives and limits the spread of disease and defensive behaviour from one colony to the next.

• Spacing hives: hives are commonly placed about 2 to 3 metres apart, or 3 metres or more for defensive African honeybees.
• Hive height: hanging hives are set about 1 to 1.5 metres above the ground for easy work and protection from pests.
• Distances to homes and roads: used to confirm that the apiary is a safe distance from homesteads, paths, roads and livestock.
• Fence line and paths: used to mark out the fence and paths wide enough for a wheelbarrow or harvesting equipment.
• Care: wipe it clean, rewind it slowly and keep it dry.