betterbee 2013

"A New Beeginning"

Northeast Center for Beekeeping, LLCBetterbee

2013

2013 Annual Catalog Betterbee BEEKEEPERS SERVING BEEKEEPERS

Meet the new owners on Page 3

Betterbee Open Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

2 Table of Contents 3

In September of 2012 Margaret Stevens sold Betterbee to Chris Cripps, Jack Rath and Joe Cali. They are thankful to Margaret and the entire Stevens family for the trust she has placed in them to lead the business from here. Bob and Margaret set a clear vision of being our Partners in Better Beekeeping. The new owners intend to continue this vision by emphasizing education and support. They have designed this catalog to help educate you as you decide what supplies to buy. On July 13, 2013 Betterbee will hold Betterbees Field Day with world class speakers and hands-on demonstrations. The Betterbee 2013 calendar is filled with classes for beginners as well as advanced beekeepers, candlemakers and soapmakers. This summer, they will have many open hive days to show you what is going on in the beeyard and to help develop your hive manipulation skills.

The new owners at Betterbee have much in common. They have lived in the local area, have kept bees for many years, and are large animal veterinarians who worked on dairy farms. While the transition from dairy cattle to bees might seem extreme, there are many parallels between proper care of dairy cattle and successful management of honeybee colonies. Both endeavors focus on animal health and preventive medicine. The new owners backgrounds in medicine and science make them highly qualified to help beekeepers manage colonies efficiently at a time when bees face many new challenges. One of their goals is to help beekeepers sort through the large amount of information available so they can 9choose beekeeping products and methods that are well-proven and scientifically based. As the new owners did with dairy producers, they will emphasize to beekeepers that diagnosis and prevention are important, and random or blind treatments should be avoided.

Chris started keeping bees when earning his Beekeeping Merit Badge on the way to becoming an Eagle Scout. His mentor, Wilkins Gilbert, became sick shortly after he started, so Chris took over the care of Wilkins hives which were scattered throughout central New Hampshire. While at Cornell University earning his Bachelor of Science, he took several beekeeping classes. After Cornell, Chris went to The Ohio State University for veterinary school and worked for Franklin and Delaware Counties in Ohio as a bee inspector. After graduation, he moved to Greenwich, NY to work for Joe Cali in his veterinary practice. He kept bees on the side, moved bees for pollination, removed bees from houses, and sold honey in local farm stores. Chris lives in Greenwich with his wife Sarah and daughter Amelia.

Joe started keeping honey bees while he was in college. After graduating with his veterinary degree from Cornell, he moved to the Greenwich area with his wife Pamela and has been coming to Betterbee for as long as it has been in business. Having sampled the sweetness and frustrations of beekeeping over the years, he is excited to be immersed in the industry. It is his hope to use his experiences with beekeeping, veterinary medicine

and business management to help advance Betterbees mission of being "your partners in better beekeeping".

Jack, after graduating from Cornell, practiced veterinary medicine, working with cattle and horses in Granville, NY for over 30 years. He started with bees in the late sixties, purchasing his first package from the Montgomery Ward catalog. He is interested in the breeding of honey bee queens and has been producing local queens and nucleus colonies for the past few years. He also has been trained in instrumental insemi-nation of queens and has begun producing limited numbers of these queens. He is a member of the Vermont queen breeders group and has taught beekeeeping classes for several years. Jack is excited to continue teaching beekeeping classes for all levels of experience as part of the Betterbee team. He lives with his wife Sarah in West Pawlet, Vermont.

Classes on beekeeping topics as well as candlemaking and soapmaking will be held throughout the year. Beginners beekeeping classes will be held on Saturdays in January and February. Classes on spring manage-ment, preparation of overwintered nucs, disease management, fall prepa-rations and other topics will be held later in the year. Where possible, hands on beeyard time will be included with classes. Monitoring and management of varroa mites, the most severe challenge facing honeybees will be emphasized. A queen rearing class, including both classroom and practical sessions will be held in June. There will also be open apiary sessions on Saturdays to provide hands on experience for beekeepers of all experience levels. Check the class schedule at www.betterbee.com or call us for details on class dates and times.

This is an exciting time for beekeepers and the industry. Bees face unprecedented challenges including new diseases, pesticide threats and loss of floral sources. These challenges are more than offset by the tremendous growth of interest in bees and beekeeping. The Betterbee owners and staff stand ready to help beekeepers keep the excitement they feel when they first open a hive and look into the world of the honeybee. Chris, Joe and Jack want you to know Our goal is to provide quality products, excellent service and learning opportunities to bee enthusiasts young and old. We pledge to be your Partners in Better Beekeeping.

" A New Beeginning"

soapmaking

proTeCTiveCloThing

frames & foundaTions

books & referenCe

nuC boxes & ComponenTs

boTTles & ConTainersqueen

rearing

Candlemaking

salesTools

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honeylabels118

honey & waxproCessing

10 frame and 8 frame wooden hive kiTs & ComponenTs

Tools

Table ofContents

bees & queens

mediCaTions& TreaTmenTs

beemax hive kiTs & ComponenTs

Gift CertifiCates: do you know a beekeeper but dont know what to get them? gift cetificates are available in $20,$50, and $100 denominations.

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Cover photo by Lucinda Van Vleck www.beemeadowartandgifts.com

order Toll-free: 800-632-3379 | order by fax: 518-691-9226 | on the web: www.betterbee.com

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Order Toll-Free: 800-632-3379 | Order by Fax: 518-692-9802 | On the Web: www.betterbee.comBetterbee Open Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

4 header goes here index to products 54 index to products

Index to Products{A}

Almond carrier oil . . . . . 97Apiguard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Apistan strips . . . . . . . . . . 85

{B}Baling twine . . . . . . . . . . . 53Banner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Base Oils for soaps/creams . . . . . . . 97Bayberry Wax . . . . . . . . . 90Bear Collars . . . . . . . . . . . 78Bee Brush . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Bee, Packaged and Nucs 36Bee Pollen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Bee Wire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Bee-Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Beemax Components . . . . . . 32-35 Feeders . . . . . . .31, 35, 61 Hives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Nuc Box . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Bee Pollen Labels . . . . . . 63Beesuits . . . . . . . . . . . . 57-60Beeswax Bulk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Candle Sheets . . . . . . . 92 Lip Balm . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Polish/Preserver . . . . 109 Skin Cream . . . . . . . . . 99 Votives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94Beetle Traps . . . . . . . . . . . 86BeginnersBeekeeping Kits .17, 26, 32Books Beekeeping . . . . . . . 41-43 Beeswax . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Candle Making . . . . . 88 Childrens . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Honey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Observation Hives . . . 43 Pollen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Queen Rearing . . . 38, 39 Skin Care . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Soap Making . . . . . . . . 95Boots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Boot Bands . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Bottling Tanks . . . . . . 71-73Bottom Boards . . 22, 29, 35Brood Chambers 20, 28, 34Buckets/Tanks

for Honey . . . . . . . . . . 71-73

{C}Candle Base Formers . . . . . . . . 91 Dipping Equipment . . 92 Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Molds . . . . . . . . .91,92,94 Packaging . . . . . . . . .93,94 Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Tapers . . . . . . . . . . . .92,94 Thermometer . . . . . . . 90 Tin Containers . . . . . . 89 Votives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Wax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Wicking . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Candy/Straws 108,116-117Cappings Spinner . . . . . . 75Caps Dripless Lids . . . . . . . . 81 Flip Top Lids . . . . . . . . 81 Hi-Flo Spouts . . . . . . . 81 Plastic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Citric Acid . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Classes . . . . . . . . . . . 104,107 Clothing, Protective Boots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Helmets . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Jackets . . . . . . . . . . . .57,59 Suits . . . . . . . . . . . . .58,60 Veils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . 55-60Cocoa Butter . . . . . . . . . . 97Coconut Oil . . . . . . . . . . 97Comb honey Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Containers Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . 82-83 Plastic . . . . . . . . . . . 76-81 Skin Care . . . . . . . . . . . 98Copper Hive Top . . . . . . 19Coveralls . . . . . . . . . . . 58, 60Creamed Honey.............117 Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Crimper, Wire . . . . . . . . . 48Critter Gitter and Enhancer . . . . . . . . . . 53Cut Comb Containers . . . . . . . . . . 50 Foundation . . . . . . . . . 50

Knife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

{D}Decals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Double Screen . . . . . . . . . 22Double Sieves . . . . . . . . . 71Dripless Lids . . . . . . . . . . 81Drone Frame/ Foundation . . . . . . . . . 46, 47DVD/Books . . . . 39, 41-43

{E}Entrance Closures . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Reducer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Escape board, Triangular . . . . . . . . . . 29, 62Essential/ Fragrance Oils . . . . . . . . . 90Essentials Kits . . .18, 27, 33Excluder, Queen . . . . 24, 31Extractor Lubricant . . . . 68Extractors . . . . . . . . . . 66-70Eyelets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Eyelet punch . . . . . . . . . . 48

{F}Feeder Division Board . . . . . . 61 Entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Pail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Hivetop . . . . . . .31, 35, 61 Screen Plug . . . . . . . . . 61Filters/Sieves . . . . . . . .71,75Flip Top Lids . . . . . . . . . . 81Foundation . . . . . . 46-48, 50Fragrance/ Essential Oils . . . . . . . . . . 90Frame Fixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Rests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Spacing Tool . . . . . . . . 51 Drone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Pierco . . . . . . . .44, 46, 47 Wooden . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Fume board . . . . . . . . . . . 62Fumagilin-B . . . . . . . . . . . 87Furniture polish . . . . . . 109

{G}Galvanized Pans for outer cover . . . . . . . . . 21Giftbaskets . . . . . . . . . . . 110Glass containers . . . . 82-83Global Patty . . . . . . . . . . . 63Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Grafters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

{H}Hardware Cloth . . . . . . . 53Heatgun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Heat Shrink Sleeves . . . . 80Helmets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Hi-Flo Spouts . . . . . . . . . 81Hive Beginners Kit .17, 26, 32 Beemax . . . . . . . . . 32-35 Bodies . . . . . . . .20, 28, 34 Covers . . . . 19, 21, 29, 35 Divider . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Feeders . . . . . . .31, 35, 61 Increase Kits . .19, 27, 33 Mentoring Kit .18, 27, 33 Miniature . . . . . . . . . 110 Portals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Stands .22, 29, 31, 34, 35 Supers . . . . . . . .20, 28, 34 Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Top Feeders . . .31, 35, 61 Wooden . . . . . . . . . 17-31 Wrap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Honey Bee-Healthy . . . . . . . . . 63 Booklets . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Bottling Tanks. . . . 71-73 Bulk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Candy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Containers . . . . . . . 76-83 Creamed . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Dippers . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Pail Heater . . . . . . . . . 73 Pots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Stirrers . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Straws . . . . . . . . . 116-117

{IJK}Increase Kits . . . . .19, 27, 33Inner Covers . . . .21, 29, 35Jackets/Pullovers . . . . 57, 59Kits Beginners . . . . .17, 26, 32 Candlemaking . . . . . . 88 Creamed Honey . . . . . 74

Essentials . . . . .18, 27, 33 Hive Increase . .19, 27, 33 Hive Mentoring 18, 27, 33 Soapmaking . . . . . . . . . 95 Supering . . . . . .18, 27, 33 Weight-lite . . . .18, 27, 33

{L}Labels Candle . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Comb Honey . . . . . 49, 50 Creamed Honey . 111, 120 Granulation/ Botulism Warning . . 111 Hanging Tag . . . . . . . 110 Honey, Custom Printed . 120-123 Honey Soap . . . . . . . . 101 Jar Top . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Lip Balm/ Skin Creame . . . . . . . . 99 Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . 111 Pollen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Tamper Proof . . . . . . 111Lip Balm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Lip Balm Containers . . . 98Lubricants. . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

{MNO}Medications . . . . . . . . 84-87MegaBee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Mini- Hive . . . . . . . . . . . 110Mite-Away Quick Strips 85Mouse Guard . . . . . . . . . . 35Nails . . . . . . . . . . . .20, 29, 45Notecards . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Nuc Box/Accessories . . . 52Outer cover Beemax . . . . . . . . . . 21, 35 Wooden/ Galvanized . . . . . . 21, 29

Oxytetracycline . . . . . . . . 87

{P}Pail Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Pail Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Pail opener . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Palm Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Pest Management/ Treatments Beetles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Foulbrood . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Nosema . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Small animal . . . . . . . 53 Varroa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Pierco Foundation . . . . . 46Pierco Frames . . . . . . . . . 44Plastic Containers . . 76-81Pollen Patty . . . . . . . . . . . 63Pollen Substitute . . . . . . . 63Pollen Traps . . . . . . . . . . . 25Pollen, Bee . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Posters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109Processing Tank . . . . . . . 75Protective Clothing . 55-60Pullovers . . . . . . . . . . . 57, 59

{Q}Queen Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Catcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Excluder . . . . . . . . . 24, 31 Grafters . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Hatching Cages. . . . . . 38 Introduction Cage . . . 40 Marking Combo . . . . . 39 Marking Pen . . . . . . . . 39 Marking Tube . . . . . . . 39 Muff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Rearing Books . . . . 38, 39 Rearing Kits . . . . . . . . 38 Live . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

{R}Refractometers . . . . . . . . 74Releaseagen Spray . . . . . . 90Reversible Bottom Board . . . . . . 22, 29Ross Round Comb Honey Kits/Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

{S}Salve Tins . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Scale, Digital . . . . . . . . . . 96Shea Butter . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Shim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Sieves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Signs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114,115Skin Care Supplies . 98-101Skin Cream . . . . . . . . . . . 99Skin Cream Jars, Empty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Slatted Racks . . . . . . . 23, 30Smoker Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . 53Smokers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Soap Base, Glycerin . . . . . . . 96 Beginners Kits . . . . . . 95 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Country Honey . . . . . 101 Ingredients . . . . . . . 96-97 Lye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Molds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Swiss Honey . . . . . . . . 101Spur embedder . . . . . . . . 48Sticky Board . . . . . . . . 22, 30Supering Kits . . . .18, 27, 33Supers . . . . . . . . . .20, 28, 34Support Pins . . . . . . . . . . 48Swarm Catch . . . . . . . . . . 36

{TUV}

T-Shirts . . . . . . . . . . 112-113Tote, Market . . . . . . . . . 110Triangular Escape Boards . . . . . . 29, 62Tylan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87Uncapping Forks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Knives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Tanks . . . . . . . . . . . .64,65Varroa Debris Tray . . . . . . .23,30 Economy Tray . . . . .23,30 Screen . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 30 Screen and Tray Combo .23, 30Veils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

{W}Walnut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100Wax Bayberry . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Beeswax . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Melter, Solar . . . . . . . . 75 Pouring Pot . . . . . . . . . 90 Processing Tank . . . . . 75 Remover . . . . . . . . . . . . 90Weight-lite Kits . .18, 27, 33Wire, Bee . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Wire Crimper . . . . . . . . . 48Wood Preserver . . . . . . . 109

PriCes imporTanT: because of varying market conditions, the prices in our catalog/website/phone and mail orders are subject to change. betterbee reserves the right to invoice all orders on the basis of prices which are in effect at the time of shipment. we will try to contact you if there is any substantial change in the prices of any items you have ordered. please feel free to confirm prices at any time by calling toll-free 1-800-632-3379.

Payment we accept masterCard, visa, and discover for cards that have billing addresses in the u.s. out of coun-try customers can pay with paypal by contacting the office. money orders and direct wire transfers are also accepted. Checks are accepted with a drivers license number, phone number and address on the check. new customers paying for orders with checks may see a delay in order processing while the check clears. returned check fees of $45 will be added to

any check payments returned for insufficient funds.

any overdue credit amounts are subject to a 1.5% monthly charge. if not paid after the first state-ment cycle, a $10 per month billing charge will be assessed in addition to the 1.5% monthly charge. payment for merchandise is invoiced in united states dollars.

we reserve the right to pass non-payment claims to third party collection agencies and legal means for remittance. purchases are subject to the laws of new york state and the united states of america and its subsequent international treaties with other countries and organizations.

Hours mon, Tue, Thu fri -8:00 am 5:00 pm, wed 9-5. saturday - 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.

we are closed on all major holidays listed below. internet orders will be processed on the first day

we are open after all holidays. (may 27, July 4, september 2, november 28, december 24,25, and december 31 to January 1).

DireCtions we are located in greenwich, ny., a lovely, 3-1/2 hour drive from montreal, nyC, and boston.

from the south and west: Take ny state Thruway to exit 24/albany. Take the adirondack northway/interstate 87 to saratoga springs at exit 14. follow route 29e 14 miles to greenwich. after the advanced auto parts store, take the first left onto meader road and then the first driveway on the right.

from the mass pike: Take exit b3 (the first exit after paying toll at end of pike). follow route 22n to Cambridge. Take a left at the light onto route 372w. go 9 miles to greenwich. go through stoplight on route 29w. we are 1 mile ahead, just past mcdonalds. Take right onto meader road and then

the first driveway on the right.

CataLog requests Catalogs are sent bulk rate free of charge (us only) and take 2-4 weeks to arrive. indicate if you would prefer the catalog sent first class for a nominal charge of $1.50.


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Betterbee, Inc. open monday thru friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

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6 spring essentials for better beekeeping 7

Varroa ScreenAvailable in either 8 or 10 Frame. An ideal component in the hive for monitoring mite fall, increasing ventila-tion and removing debris from the hive. Can be used with or without a solid bot-tom board. Not needed in Beemax hive, using Beemax bottom boardDimensions: 22 x 16-1/4 x 1-1/2

ship Weight: 4 lbs.

VsC8 Varroa screen (8 frame) . . . . . . . . $14.25 VsC2 Varroa screen (10 frame) . . . . . . . $14.25

Global PattyThese Patties are made with 15% real bee pollen. Patties with pollen are much more readily accepted by bees.ship Weight: 10 lbs.

GP10 Global Patty 10 patties . . . . . . . . . $24.95

findouT more on pages 17, 26, 32

Pierco FramesThese frames need no assembly; theyre ready to put right in your hive. Available in either black or white..ship Weight: Deep 10/9 lbs., Box/42 lbs., medium: 10/8 lbs., Box/45 lbs. (shipped in own oversized box.)

PierCOD1 Pierco Deep frames 1-51 frames . . . . . . . .$2.25/frame

PierCOD52 Box of 52 Deep frames 1-3 boxes . . . . . . . . $108.95/box 4+ boxes . . . . . . . . $103.05/box

PierCOM1 Pierco Medium frames 1-71 frames . . . . . . . .$2.00/frame

PierCOM72 Box of 72 Medium frames 1-3 boxes . . . . . . . . $124.95/box 4+ boxes . . . . . . . . $113.55/box

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find ouTmore onpage 63

find ouTmore onpp 23, 30

Your Partners in Better Beekeeping! For over 34 years, Betterbee has been proud to be your partner in better beekeeping. To help you get started, weve designed an 8-page introductory format with a seasonal checklist which focuses on a beekeepers needs throughout the calendar year, based upon what weve found to work in our apiaries each season. Complete descriptions, hints and pricing of products may be found on the pages referenced by each item.



moreon pages19, 27, 33

Hive Increase KitsThe fastest, easiest and most cost-effi-cient way to expand the number of colo-nies in your beeyard. Available in Wood or BeeMax Polystyrene. ship Weight: 70 lbs.

WiKa Wooden assembled Hive increase Kit w/pierco waxed frames . . . . . . . . $180.90

WiKU Wooden Unassembled Hive increase Kit w/wooden frames and Crimp-wired foundation . . . . . . . . $162.90

BiK BeeMax assembled Hive increase Kit w/pierco frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . $175.95

Complete Wooden Beginners KitAvailable in either 8 or 10 Frame. Everything you need (in a single kit) for your first year of better beekeeping, except the bees. ship Weight: ships in 2 boxes, totaling 70 lbs.

BK8a Complete Wooden Beginners Kit 8 frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$314.95 BK10a Complete Wooden Beginners Kit 10 frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $314.95

Spring essenTials

SpringCheCklisT


Welcome to Betterbee!

march - Feed and monitor Continue monitoring for hives that are out of honey. Do not feed sugar syrup until it is warm enough for bees to fly regularly , (Daytime tem-peratures greater than 50 degrees) if weather is still too cold, feed winter patties or fondant. Pollen patties are used to stimulate buildup of hives in anticipation of the spring flow. Dont feed pollen too early because pollen supple-ments will cause rapid expansion. you dont want a large cluster of bees consuming large amounts of stores if april is wet or snowy and honey flows are late. start a diary and keep track of when you first see pollen coming in and when different plants start to blossom. see page 84 for an overview of medications and treatments. there is much more informa-tion on our website, or call us if you have ques-tions about medications. Be sure electric fence is working properly if you are in bear territory. Bears are also waking up this time of year.

april the Critical timeexamine each hive, preferably on a day when the temperature is at least 60 degrees to avoid chilling brood. remove mouse guards, clean bottom boards. if the bottom brood chamber is completely empty, reverse the boxes plac-ing the empty box on top. if there is brood in both boxes do not reverse the boxes. Check for brood in each hive and consider combining any hives that are queenless. Keep a record of very strong hives so that they get supers on-time. monitor mite levels to determine whether treatments are necessary.

may - the Honeyflow Beginsit is now warm enough that you can do a thorough inspection of each hive. Check each for the presence of a vigorous queen with a good brood pattern. Check carefully for brood diseases and mite levels. add supers to strong colonies. Keep ahead of the bees. add subsequent supers when the first one is half full. reverse boxes on hives not previously reversed. now is the time to try something new. you might want to try producing comb honey (page 49-50) or try raising your own queens. Keep grass trimmed around hives. if using drone comb for mite control be sure to remove them and freeze overnight every 21

days.

look for these symbols throughout this catalog for our extra special products.LegenD:

NEW for 2013A new product for beekeepers to enjoy.

rEcyclEd/rEcyclaBlEThis product is made from recycled material or is recyclable

IPMUse this as part of a Integrated Pest Management program

BEttErBEE orIgINalThis is a Betterbee Original a first in the industry

BEttErBEE favorItEA staff favorite used in our own commercial apiaries.

Natural Product

BEttErBEE ExclusIvEFound only here and brought to you by Betterbee!

3 lb. Package Bees

Packages consist of 3 pounds of bees in a screened cage along with a laying queen in a separate cage. There is also a can of sugar syrup to provide food for the bees during transport. Package bees are an economical and effective means of starting a beehive. Tentative Bee dates are late April and early May. BeeDaY live Bees 1-4 packages .......................................$90.00 5-24 boxes ..........................................$85.00 25+ packages .....................................please call

5 Frame Overwintered Nucleus Colony with Carniolan QueenOverwintered nucs differ from spring nucs in that they were prepared the previous summer. They are produced from locally acclimated bees with locally produced northern queens. The overwintered nucs that we are selling are produced by Michael Palmer of St Albans, VT and Jack Rath of West Pawlet, VT. Mike has been a strong advocate of and very successful producer of northern queens and over-wintered nucs. He has spoken widely about the advantages of locally produced queens and overwin-tered nucs. Mikes enthusiasm for this pro-cess led to the beginning of the Vermont queen breeders group. Jack learned the technique from Mike and has produced smaller numbers of queens and over-win-tered nucs for the last few years.

Like the spring nucs, overwintered nucs have five frames generally consisting of a frame of honey, 3 frames of brood in all stages of development with some honey and pollen, and one frame of foundation being drawn out as an area for the colony to expand into. Because there is brood hatching and young bees being born, nucs build up more quickly than packages and need to be transferred to full size colonies immediately. They will usually be ready for a second brood box within a few weeks of installation. Nucs should be fed sugar syrup until all frames in the first brood chamber are drawn out. NUC1 5 frame Overwintered Nuc ....... $205.00


SummerCheCklisT

June - the Honeyflowadd supers to colonies as need-ed. During the main honey-flow err on the side of too many supers rather than too few. Continue to monitor mite levels and queen performance. this is the time to try making up one or more nucs for overwintering.

July - early harvestBy harvesting honey early you have the chance to produce a wider variety of honey. early honey is often lighter in color and mild in flavor and allows you to sell a wider variety of products. Consider showing your honey and wax at the fair or the eas honey show.

august - Preparation for Fallnow is the time to check care-fully for elevated mite levels. if the mite levels are high the hive needs to be treated. there are now products which allow you to treat for mites without removing the honey crop. Consider attending the eas (eastern apicultural society) meeting, held this year in West Chester, Pennsylvania. you will meet enthusiastic beekeepers from across the country in a friendly learning environment.

Eastern Pine Wooden Supers Available in either 8 or 10 Frame. Top quality 7/8 inch thick Supers in either 8 or 10 frame versions. Our Supers are constructed from thicker Eastern Pine. They fit tighter, are less brittle and are easier to nail. 15% more wood makes a difference. All inside dimensions are standard Langstroth. Available in two grades: Select and Commercial. note: Frames not included. see pages 44

ship Weight: medium/6 lbs., shallow/5 lbs.

assembled supers

Msa10 10 frame Medium Commercial . . . $15.20 ssa10 10 frame shallow Commercial . . . . $15.20

Msa8 8 frame Medium Commercial . . . . $15.20 ssa8 8 frame shallow Commercial . . . . $15.20

Unassembled supers

MsU10 10 frame Medium Commercial . . . $11.95 ssU10 10 frame shallow Commercial . . . . $11.95

MsU8 8 frame Medium Commercial . . . . $11.95 ssU8 8 frame shallow Commercial . . . . $11.95

8 summer essentials for better beekeeping

Sticky BoardThe easy way to assess the mite situation in your hives. Use with a Varroa Screen (see pages 23 & 30) as an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technique.Dimensions: 17 x 12

ship Weight: 1 lb.

sB1 sticky Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2.95

Global Hive SmokerFeatures a combustion chamber and removable aerator.Dimensions: 4 x 7

ship Weight: 4 lbs.

sMOKeGLOBe1 Global Hive smoker . . . . $36 .95

Triangle Escape BoardAvailable in either 8 or 10 Frame. The stress-free way to remove bees from a super. Comes fully assembled. Dimensions: 20 x 16-1/4 x 1-1/2

ship Weight: 5 lbs.

eB1 10 frame triangle escape Board $11.50eB8 8 frame triangle escape Board $11.50

Plastic Queen ExcluderAvailable in either 8 or 10 Frame. Keeps the queen in the brood chamber. Exceptionally strong and long-lasting. Fits both wooden and BeeMax hives.Dimensions: 19-7/8 x 16-3/8 x 1/8

ship Weight: 2 lbs.

QeP8 Plastic Queen excluder 8 frame . . . . . $3.35 QeP10 Plastic Queen excluder 10 frame . . . . $3.35

Baling TwineWe recommend (and use ourselves) this untreated sisal Baling Twine as a fuel for a cool, long-lasting smoke. 10 lb. roll.ship Weight: 12 lbs.

Bt1 Baling twine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21.95

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fiND OUtMOre ONPP20, 28

fiND OUtMOre ONPaGe 54





fiND OUtMOre ONPP 25

Sundance Pollen TrapThe industry standard. Pollen trap comes fully assembled and allows col-lection of fresh clean pollen for making pollen patties or for sale. Available in top and bottom mount versions. Pollen is clean and can be harvested without opening the hive.

Complete instructions included..ship Weight: 10 lbs.

PtraPB Bottom-Mounted Pollen trap . . . . . $61.95


SummeressenTials

Hive Maintenance Jacket (English Style)This functional, zippered jacket is remark-ably comfortable as well as durable and provides superior sting protection. Features an English style hood. Velcro pockets keep things put.ship Weight: 4 lbs.

sizes: small, medium, Large, XLarge, XXLarge

eZJ1 english style Hive Maintenance Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . $54.95

fiND OUtMOre ONPP 22, 30

Betterbee Fiber FuelPlugs and small fluffed pieces of long-burning fibers that fit easily into any of our smokers. Sold by the pound. ship Weight: 1 lb.

note: We break up this fiber fuel before putting it in our smoker makes it easier to light and burn.

sf1 Betterbee fiber fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.95

fiND OUtMOre ONPP85

9

Betterbee open mon, Tue, Thu, fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Mite-Away Quick StripsThe first mite treatment which can be used during the honeyflow. Place two pads on top of brood frames when temperatures are between 50 and 92. Treatment period is 7 days. Pads need not be removed at end of treatment period. Entrances should not be restricted during treatment. Use chemical resistant gloves and read and follow all label directions when using Miteaway Quick Strips.ship Weight: 10 lbs./maqs1, 27 lbs./masq2

MaQs1 Mite-away Quick strips(10 treatments) . . $47.00 MaQs2 Mite-away Quick strips(36 treatments) . $144.50


Betterbee Professional Honey Jar LabelsWe pioneered full-color labels over 22 years ago and continue to develop new labels to meet the beekeepers needs.

Let us print them for you (use order form found on page 106). Well print up to 4 lines of text (23 characters per line) on any of our stock labels. Just peel, stick and sell. ship Weight: 1 lb./roll

OsL1 Bee skep Label (a) OBL1 Pure american Label (b) ODL1 Daisy & skep Label (c) OJL1 Honey Jar Label (d) OGL1 skep & Pines Label (e) OCL1 red Clover Label (f) OLf1 Lavender fields Label (g) small oval 1-3/4 x 3 (fits 1/2, 1 and 2 lb. jars) .......... $9.95/250

MsL1 Modern sunflower Label (g) rounded rectangle 2-1/8 x 3-1/2 (fits 1 and 2 lb. jars) ................ $9.95/250

AutumnCheCklisT

september - Harvesting. treatmenttake supers off and extract the crop. Be sure to leave plenty of honey for the winter. apply mite treatments now if you have not already treated the hives. the goal is to reduce mite levels so that the winter bees, the bees produced from the last few rounds of brood, are not injured by mites and are healthy enough to survive until spring.

october - Winter preparations beginif colonies are light, feeding should be completed by mid-october. Feeding needs to be completed while bees still have time to ripen the syrup. Feed heavy syrup made with 2 parts sugar to 1 part water (10 pounds sugar in 2 1/2 quarts hot water). if adding fumagillin be sure to add it after syrup is cool. Fumagillin is inactivated by tem-peratures greater than 82.

november - Finish winter prepa-rationinstall mouse guards and provide upper entrances for ventilation and exit during deep snow conditions. We also recommend insulation between the inner and outer cover to reduce condensation and mois-ture in the hive. if you wrap hives this should also be done now.

10 autumn essentials for better beekeeping

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Tank & Filter ComboBottle up to 72 lbs. of your honey at home. Pour extracted honey through the double seive into the honey tank. Let it settle in the tank overnight before bot-tling.ship Weight: 5 lbs.

Psst1 sieve & tank Combo . . . . . . . $64.95

Betterbee Uncapping TankPerfect for the small scale beekeeper. Place a frame over the wooden cross-bar and uncap into the tank. Separates the honey from the cappings. Includes 1-1/4 Honey Gate.Dimensions: 17 x 20 x 13

ship Weight: 30 lbs., ships in its own box.

UCt1 Betterbee Uncapping tank . . . . $56.95

Electric Uncapping PlaneThe easiest and fastest way to uncap by hand. Heavy-duty, solid construction.ship Weight: 4 lbs.

UP1 electric Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $129.95

Betterbee Deluxe Stainless Steel Uncapping ToolFeatures built-in scraper. The handle is solid, washable rubber molded onto the steel that is all one piece with the body of the fork. Built to last. ship Weight: 1 lb.

Cas3 Deluxe Uncapping tool . . . . . $35.95

Premium Quality Plastic Honey BottlesThese honey bottles are clear plastic and look just like glass. All take the same 38mm lids, so you have your choice of flip-top lids, hi-flo spouts, plain white caps, or dripless lids.note: Labels not included on containers. see pgs. 118-123

ship Weight: 1/2 lb. case/1 lb., 1 lb. case/2 lbs., 2 lb. case/2 lbs.

PHB1/2W 1/2 lb. Bottles Case of 12 . . . . . . $6.15 PHB1W 1 lb. Bottles Case of 12 . . . . . . . . $6.85 PHB2W 2 lb. Bottles Case of 12 . . . . . . . . $9.35

Classic Glass JarsWe carry a wide variety of the finest glass containers. Here is a small sample. Caps see page 78. note: Labels not included on containers. see pgs. 118-123

ship Weight: 1/2 lb. case/9 lbs., 1 lb. case/10 lbs., 2 lb. case/9 lbs.

CB1/2C 1/2 lb. Classic Glass Jar Case of 24 . . .$13.50 CB1C 1 lb. Classic Glass Jar Case of 24 . . . .$13.75 CB2C 2 lb. Classic Glass Jar Case of 12 . . . .$10.80

Plastic and Glass Honey Containers:see our full line on pages 76 through 83.







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Autumn essenTials

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11

Maxant 3100-2: Perfect for the hobbyist who wants a lifetime piece of extracting equipment.Just what you need as a beginning beekeeper when you are ready to extract your honey crop. This two-frame radial extractor is stur-dy enough to last a lifetime, set up to get the job done easily, priced right for the job it does and then when you need more capacity and speed, serves as a base unit that is upgradable without having to buy a whole new extractor. If your intention is to stay in beekeeping, in our opinion, this is the extractor to start with.

This extractor is made with 20 gauge stain-less steel (the smaller the gauge the thicker the metal) with extra stiffening support at the top and bottom. The legs are secured to the support ring on the bottom so there is no stress on the tank walls. The tig welded conical bottom helps to efficiently drain the honey from the extractor. We are not aware of another entry level extractor that offers radial extraction and the ability to be upgrad-ed as your needs change.ship Weight: 48 lbs.

M3100-2 Maxant 3100-2 without legs . . . . $295.00 MaXLeGKit Leg Kit for Maxant extractors . . . $39.00

MaXMOtOr1 Motor upgrade kit . . . . . . . . . . $349.00 MaXBasKet1 Basket upgrade kit . . . . . . . . $199.00

Betterbee open mon, Tue, Thu, fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. order Toll-free: 800-632-3379 | order by fax: 518-691-9226 | on the web: www.betterbee.com

easy to upgrade Change 2 frame basket for

6/9 frame basket add a motor add a leg kit


WinterCheCklisT

December - gifting with Honey review your hive records for the year and try to figure out what you did wrong and what you did right. Leave a case of two pound jars (p. 82) as yard rent wherever you keep your bees. make creamed honey (p. 74) - winter is a good time to do it when you have a cool basement. make some candles (p. 88-94) and soap (p. 95) for gifts from your beeswax. Put them in a basket with some of your honey and give it to someone who is not expecting a gift from you.

January - reading and Planning read articles in the bee magazines that you didnt get to read during the year. subscribe to the Bee-L mailing list at [email protected]. sign up for the monthly newsletter from malcolm sanford at [email protected]. Help in a beginners class run by your local bee club. order packaged bees for increase. add a beekeeping book to your collec-tion (p. 41-43).

February - get ready for spring assemble new equipment. Paint hives using dark colors in the north and light colors for the south. you can often buy returned cans of paint at local hardware stores at deep discounts. Check hives and identify those critically low on stores. you can take off the outer cover and deter-mine if the bees are tight to the inner cover. if bees are all the way to the top they may starve before spring. Consider feeding winter bee patties or fondant as emergency feed. use a shim and place patties directly on frames. even on cold days the bees will not be harmed if you quickly remove the inner cover, add emergency feed and then close the hive.

12 winter essentials for better beekeepingw

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Hive Wrap InsulationProtect your hives from harsh winter winds with this thick hive wrap insula-tion.ship Weight: 3 lb.

HW1 Hive Wrap insulation . . . . . . . . . $17.95

Honey-B-HealthyA feeding stimulant with essential oils to build up nucs, weak colonies and hived swarms. Follow all label instructions.ship Weight: 16 oz./3 lbs., 1 gal./15 lbs.

HBH3 Honey-B-Healthy 16 fluid oz. . . . . $24.95 HBH4 Honey-B-Healthy 1 gallon . . . . . . $135.95

Betterbee Sweet Honey CandyThis all natural honey candy has a taste that everyone loves because it actually tastes like honey. Made with pure honey in 4 varieties: Honey, Honey-Lemon, Honey-Pomegranate, and Honey-Green Apple. There are approx. 115 pieces per pound.ship Weight: 1 lb. candy/2 lbs.

CaNDY1 Betterbee sweet Honey Candy . . . . . . . . . . . . $4.95/lb.

The Beekeepers Handbook: 4th EditionDr. Diana Sammataro & Dr. Alphonse Avitabile The best of the beekeeping books for beginning and advanced beekeepers on the how-tos of beekeeping. 2 lbs.

B101 the Beekeepers Handbook . . . $26.95

Beekeeping Books:winter is the perfect time to catch up on some essential bee reading while your bees are busy in the hive.



fiND OUtMOre ONPP 41-43

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The Betterbee Beginners Deluxe Soap Making Kit

save when you buy this kit. Everything you need to make 20+ bars of your own all-natural soap. This is the most complete and easiest to use kit on the market.ship Weight: 14 lbs.

BKs1 soap Making Kit. . . . . . . . . . . . . $99.95

Betterbee Natural Beeswax Moisturizing Skin Creame

Developed from a centuries-old recipe designed to soothe and heal skin affected by those cold, dry Northern winters. The 8 oz. comes with a floral design wrap around label; the 2 oz. has a hex design label (top of cover). Both labels list ingre-dients.ship Weight: Jar/1 lb.

BHC2 skin Creame 2 oz. Jar . . . . . . . . .$3.95 each BHC1 skin Creame 8 oz. Jar . . . . . . . . .$8.95 each

fiND OUtMOre ONPaGe 99fiND OUtMOre ONPaGe 88


The Betterbee Beginners Candle Making Kitsave when you buy this kit. The most complete and easiest to use kit for those new to candle making. Everything you need to make 30 tealight candles and 12 votive candles. Includes all you need to get started fast.ship Weight: 9 lbs.

BKC1 Candle Making Kit. . . . . . .$105.95


Know exactly whats going into the products you use and sell by making them yourself.

Surprise friends and family on special occasions with your own homemade gifts.

Winter essenTials.


Country Honey SoapSell this all natural soap to compliment your honey. Made in small batches in wooden molds and cured for more than one month. Labels available (p. 101)ship Weight: 1 lb. each

sOaPN1 Country Honey soap 1-9 bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.35 10-35 bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.25 36-119 bars . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.10

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All Natural Swiss Honey SoapThis pure and natural soap typifies the true goodness of honey. Each bar con-tains pure Alpine Honey.

Available in 5 distinctive varieties: Honey: A luxurious moisturizing soap for all skin types.Royal Jelly: For dry skinPropolis: A deep-cleaning soap, for problem skin.Alpine Milk: Made with milk, ideal for daily use.Gardeners: Gently soothes rough, chapped hands.ship Weight: Bar/1 lb.

sOaPB1 swiss Honey soap 1 bar . . . . . . . . . $4.95 (please specify honey, royal Jelly, propolis, alpine milk or gardeners when ordering)


The Monk and The Honeybee DVDThis video tells the fascinat-ing story of Brother Adam, the Benedictine Monk at Buckfast Abbey in Devon England.ship Weight: 1 lb.

DVDMONK-1 the Monk and the Honeybee DVD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $28.00


Pair of Beeswax Taper CandlesThese tanper candles are available in colonial, standard, and hex styles in a variety of lengths - 8", 10" and 12". ship Weight: 0.35 lb.

BWXP8 8 inch taper standard . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . $6.00 standard-white . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$6.00BWXP10 10 inch taper hex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.00 Colonial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9.00 standard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.00 standard-white . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.00BWXP12 12 inch taper standard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.00 standard-white. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.00


Order Toll-Free: 800-632-3379 | Order by Fax: 518-691-9226 | On the Web: www.betterbee.com

The anatomy of a betterbee hive 15

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14 The anatomy of a betterbee hive

From top to bottom, Betterbee offers all of the pieces to maintain strong and healthy colonies. This diagram shows the location of

each component and its purpose. Not all components should be a part of the hive at all times.

of a Betterbee Hive

Betterbee open mon, Tue, Thu, fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Order Toll-Free: 800-632-3379 | Order by Fax: 518-691-9226 | On the Web: www.betterbee.comBetterbee open mon, Tue, Thu, fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Complete 10 frame wooden solutions 1716 Complete 10 frame wooden solutions

vegetable and fruit growers are experiencing a shortage of honey bees because of mites and the aging of the bee-keeper population. Consequently, the beekeepers efforts are increasingly important to the maintenance of a fruitful environment. whether you begin beekeeping for the honey, the pollination, the exercise or your concern for the natural world, your harvest will be abundant and lifelong.

GettiNG starteD: To ensure your beekeep-ing success, we suggest you find a beekeeping mentor (an established beekeeper) who is willing to share how he or she manages his or her own bees. Join a club. The interactions with beekeepers and experienced from your local area are invaluable. attend a class and read some of the fine beekeeping books.Classes are held at locations throughout the country, and at our learning center in green-wich, ny (see pages 104 & 107).

tOOLs Of tHe traDe: before you can get started, there are some basic tools and equip-ment you will need. 1. protective clothing (page 55-60) to help protect you from stings while working your hives. 2. a hive or hives, depending on your aspirations. many people recommend starting with multiple hives to allow comparisons and to increase your chances that some make it over the winter. 3. beekeeping tools (you will find everything you

need in this catalog). 4. and, of course, bees! (page 36)

NeW Vs. UseD eQUiPMeNt: it is advisable that a new beekeeper should only buy used equipment with the guidance of a trusted and experienced beekeeper. There are some problems that will not be obvious to a new beekeeper that may contribute to failure. you can order bees in any area of the country, but place your order early as bees are generally in short supply and often sell out before spring, please see page 36-37 for a description of the difference between packages and nucleus colonies. We can sell you packaged bees and nuc hives at our location in New York, or you can acquire your own bees by hiving a swarm or by buying established hives or nucs from another beekeeper.

The Betterbee Complete Wooden Beginners Kit 10 Frame VersionThis professional grade kit, made from long-lasting 7/8 Eastern Pine, includes everything you need to start your first year of beekeeping (except for the bees), including a Varroa Screen for IPM (Integrated Pest Management) & a 3 gallon hive top feeder. It comes either fully assembled (all the hive bodies, frames and supers are already assembled and ready to use) with Pierco Frames or unassembled with wooden frames and crimp-wired foundation.ship Weight: ships in 4 boxes, totaling 70 lbs.

Note: No substitutions for the items in this kit.

BK10a assembled 10 frame Complete Wooden Beginner's Kit w/pierco waxed frames . . . . . . . . . . . . $314.95

BK10U Unassembled 10 frame Complete Wooden Beginner's Kit w/wooden frames and Crimp-wired foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . $293.95

BetterBeeCOMPLete WOODeN Kit

Youll need gloves! This kit includes leather gloves. please indicate your glove size at the time of ordering. use these codes: (xs) for xsmall, (s) for small, (m) for medium, (l) for large, (xl) for xlarge, and (xxl) for xxlarge. please call before you place your order if you have questions.

Contains everything you need (except the bees) for your first season of beekeeping.1. beemax Telescoping outer Cover2. wooden inner Cover3. beemax hivetop feeder w/ drown guard4. 2 med. supers w/20 frames5. 2 hive bodies w/20 frames6. reversible bottom board7. 10 hive Tool8. stainless steel smoker w/ heat shield9. beginning beekeeping book10. leather gloves - specify size11. hard plastic helmet12. round Tie-down veil13. queen excluder14. varroa screen13. varroa monitor & debris Tray

betterbee offers the easiest ways to start out right in beekeeping. our kits take the guesswork out of choosing the right products. here are a few suggestions for buying the right kits:

i am a new beekeeper. a complete beginners kit (pp 17, 26 & 32) and a mentoring kit (p 18, 27, 33) for your spouse or beekeeping buddy.

i live in a harsh climate. any of our beemax kits (pp 32 & 33)

i don't want to lift a lot of weight. a weight-lite kit (pp 18, 27 & 33) a 8-frame kit (pp 26 & 27)

i want to add to an existing apiary. a betterbee increase kit (pp 19, 27 & 33)

i want to catch a swarm. a betterbee essentials kit (pp 18, 27 & 33)

i need to make a split. a betterbee essentials kit (pp 18, 27 & 33)

i want a showcase hive in my garden. upgrade to an american Copper Top (p 19)

completeKits forbeginners

Betterbee

Advice for Beginners

16

The American Copper Hive TopThe use of copper was an integral part of the late 19th century American Crafts Movement. Our beautifully designed copper hive top reflects, as did our ancestors efforts of old, the beekeepers pride in functionality and craftsmanship.

Two screened ventilation holes at either end and one in the integrated wooden inner cover, finely hand-sanded wooden corners, rosehead copper nails and pure copper undivided sheeting (not the rolled, thinner version available in many of the garden hive top covers found on the market) are only some of the fea-tures of this copper hive top which are emblematic of the beekeepers attention to detail.

You choose how your Betterbee American Copper Hive Top will find its best use: functional in your apiary or purely aesthetic and decorative in your garden. Either use will reflect the pride you take in the craft you practice. Protect your investment: We recommend a yearly very light sanding of the copper with scotch Brite and an application of Butchers Wax to retard the natural oxidation process.

note: We cannot accept returns due to spots, imperfec-tions, or scratches on the copper.

aCHt1 the Betterbee american Copper Hive top ............................$72.95

18 Complete 10 frame wooden solutions

Betterbee Essentials Kit 10 frame versionComplete with the essentials you need, except the bees, to get started right away. If you are catching swarms or making splits, this is a perfect way to start them off. Later, you can either combine colonies or top with additional stories. Comes with all the components needed to start a colony. The assembled version features Pierco waxed frames. The unassembled version features wooden frames and crimp-wired foundation.Includes all this: BeeMax telescoping Cover for Wood InnerCover 2DeepHiveBodies(7/8EasternPine) WoodenReversibleBottomBoardw/EntranceReducer 20Frames

ship Weight: 42 lbs. (must be shipped in its own box.)


WeKa10 assembled Betterbee essentials Kit w/pierco waxed frames . . . . . . . . . . . . $111.95

WeKU10 Unassembled Betterbee essentials Kit w/wooden frames and Crimp-wired foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . $103.95

Betterbee Increase Kit 10 frame versionThe fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to expand the number of colonies in your beeyard. Comes complete with everything you need (in one package) to get going right away. Youll save over the price of buying the pieces separately. The assembled version features Pierco waxed frames. The unassembled version features wooden frames and crimp-wired foundation.Includes all this: BeeMax telescoping Cover for Wood InnerCover 2HiveBodies(7/8EasternPine) 2MediumSupers(7/8EasternPine) WoodenReversibleBottomBoard,w/EntranceReducer 40Frames QueenExcluder



WiKa10 assembled Betterbee increase Kit w/pierco waxed frames . . . . . . . . . . . . $180.90

WiKU10 Unassembled Betterbee increase Kit w/wooden frames and Crimp-wired foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . $162.90

Betterbee Supering Kit 10 frame versionA quick and easy way to get ready for a honey flow. Features two medium supers, frames, and a queen excluder to keep your honey free from brood. The assembled version features Pierco waxed frames. The unassembled version features wooden frames and crimp-wired foundation. Includes all this: PlasticQueenExcluder 2Mediums(7/8EasternPine) 20Frames



sKa10 assembled Betterbee supering Kit w/pierco waxed frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . $68.95

sKU10 Unassembled Betterbee supering Kit w/wooden frames and Crimp-wired foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . $58.95

Betterbee Weight-Lite Kit 10 frame versionThis kit is perfect for those who want to get started quickly, but wish to be kinder to their backs. Smaller brood chambers can mean more manageable colonies. The assembled version features Pierco waxed frames. The unassembled version features wooden frames and crimp-wired foundation.Includes all this: BeeMax telescoping Cover for Wood InnerCover 2Mediums(7/8EasternPine) WoodenReversibleBottomBoardw/EntranceReducer 20Frames



WLKa10 assembled Betterbee Weight Lite Kit w/pierco waxed frames . . . . . . . . . . . . $101.95

WLKU10 Unassembled Betterbee Weight Lite Kit w/wooden frames and Crimp-wired foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . $91.95

Betterbee Hive Mentoring KitEverything you need, except for a suit. Get a friend or family member involved in beekeeping by getting them the protection they need to join you out in your beeyard.Includes all this: PlasticHelmet

Tie-DownVeil LeatherGloves(XSthruXXL)-specifysize StandardHiveTool 7inchSmoker BeginningBeekeepingBook



HMK1 Betterbee Hive Mentoring Kit . . . . . . . . . . $92.95

Complete 10 frame wooden solutions 19

Complete Ventilation one hole at each end for adequate ventilation.

Heirloom Craftmanship featuring rosehead Copper nails.

integrated inner Cover our competitors liked this feature so much, they copied it.

Meticulous Details exquisitely hand-sanded and finished.

Betterbee open mon, Tue, Thu, fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. order Toll-free: 800-632-3379 | order by fax: 518-691-9226 | on the web: www.betterbee.com

Betterbee Open Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Order Toll-Free: 800-632-3379 | Order by Fax: 518-691-9226 | On the Web: www.betterbee.com

10 frame wooden hive Components 2120

Eastern Pine Supers 10 frame versionWhere your bees put the honey youll har-

vest. Our Supers are construct-ed from 7/8 thick Eastern Pine. They fit tighter, are less

brittle and are easier to nail. Available in two grades: Select (virtually all clear Eastern Pine,

with only the occasional small knot) and Commercial (which

may have a greater number of knots, but all are sound tight).

Dimensions: medium super 20 long x 16-1/4 wide x 6-5/8 high, shallow super 20 long x 16-1/4 wide x 5-11/16 high.

ship Weight: medium/6 lbs., shallow/5 lbs.

note: Frames not included. see pages 44-45.

How strong are you? When filled with honey, our medium supers weigh 55 lbs. and our shallow supers weigh 40 lbs. use the one that you can safely lift.

Hint: nails are not included with our unassembled supers. many beekeepers use nail or staple guns for assembly. see pages 20 & 45 for nails.

10 frame Medium supers

Mssa10 select assembled . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.00 5+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16.50 25+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15.75 MssU10 select unassembled. . . . . . . . . . . $13.75 5-24 supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.25 25+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.50

Msa10 Commercial assembled . . . . . . . . $15.20 5+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.75 25+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.20 MsU10 Commercial unassembled . . . . . . . $11.95 5-24 supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11.50 25+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.95

10 frame shallow supers

ssa10 Commercial assembled . . . . . . . . $15.20 5+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.75 25+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.20 ssU10 Commercial unassembled . . . . . . . $11.95 5+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11.50 25+ supers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.95

Eastern Pine Hive Bodies 10 frame versionThe year-round home for your bees. Here in the North country, a sturdy, good quality Hive Body is essential. Our Hive Bodies are constructed from 7/8 thick Eastern Pine (1/8 thicker than other companies) to ensure a safe, secure home for your bees. Available in two grades: Select (virtually all clear Eastern Pine, possessing only the occasional small knot) and Commercial (which may possess a greater number of knots, but all are sound tight).Dimensions: 20 long x 16-1/4 wide x 9-5/8 high.

ship Weight: 9 lbs.

note 1: Frames not included. see pages 44-45.

note 2: nails are not included with our unassembled boxes. many beekeepers use nail or staple guns for assembly. see the left column of this page for nails.

Hint 1: our Hive Bodies are interchangeable with all other american standard equipment, even though our Hive Bodies have thicker, stronger walls than what our com-petition offers.

Hint 2: the thicker wood also makes possible a deeper, easier to grip handhold. that means fewer accidents in the field when youre wearing gloves.

10 frame assembled Hive Bodies

DHBsa10 Deep select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $21.20 5+ hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20.20 25+ hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19.50 DHBa10 Deep Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18.00 5+ hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.75 25+ hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.50 PaiNt white paint on deep -add per unit . . . . . . .$6.00 white paint on medium - add per unit . . . . .$5.50 white paint on shallow - add per unit . . . . .$5.25

10 frame Unassembled Hive Bodies

DHBsU10 Deep select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.95 5-24 hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16.95 25+ hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16.25 DHBU10 Deep Commercial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.75 5-24 hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.50 25+ hive bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.25

Betterbee 7/8 Woodenware is thicker. all our woodenware measures 7/8 inches thick. Thats a full 1/8 inch thicker than the competitions.

BeeMax Telescoping Cover for 10 Frame Wooden HivesA cost effective way to increase your wintering efficiency, giving you an R value of over 6.5. When used with an inner cover, moisture from the heat of the winter cluster will penetrate through the hole in the inner cover rather than fall back on the bees. Keep a stone or brick on top to keep the cover from blowing off in a storm.Dimensions: 18-3/4 x 22-3/8

shipping Weight: 4 lbs.

tOCB BeeMax telescoping Outer Cover 1-4 Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.25 5+ Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.25

Telescoping Outer Cover 10 frame versionHeavy-duty weather protection for your bees. Telescoping outer covers (combined with a proper Inner Cover) are essential to beekeeping in the North. It functions like the eaves of a house, pro-tecting the hive bodies from both rain and wind. Our Outer Cover features the deep-est rim available in the industry, PLUS a heavy duty 26 gauge, galvanized top. Serious protection for your bees. Keep a stone or brick on top to keep the cover from blowing off in a storm. Dimensions: 21-3/4 x 18-1/4 x 2-1/2

ship Weight: Complete Cover 8 lbs.

Hint: our telescoping outer Covers are constructed with a 26 gauge galvanized metal. others will try to sell you 30 gauge which we find tears very easily and does not last.

tOC10 Wood/Galvanized telescoping Outer Cover 10 frame 1-4 Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19.95 5+ Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19.00

Galvanized Pan Covers 10 frame versionHeavy duty 26 gauge, galvanized tops mean serious protection for your bees. Make your own with our Galvanized Pan Covers. Sold in boxes of 10.Dimensions: 21-3/4 x 18-1/4

ship Weight: 20 lbs..

Hint: our telescoping outer Covers are constructed with a 26 gauge galvanized metal. others will try to sell you 30 gauge which we find tears very easily and does not last.

tOCP10 Galvanized Cover Pan 10 frame box of 10 Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69.95

Wooden Inner Cover w/Ventilation Notch 10 frame versionAn upper entrance is essential for winter-ing in the North. In winter turn notch side down to provide an upper entrance as well as good ventilation. In summer turn notch side up. Made of luan plywood with a pine rim. Fully assembled.Dimensions: 20 x 16-1/4 x 3/4

ship Weight: 4 lbs.

iC10 Wooden inner Cover 10 frame 1-4 Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8.95 5+ Covers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8.50

Ultimate Hive Cover 10 frame versionThis rugged all plastic hive cover is one piece, pre assembled, insulated, self-ventilated and never needs painting. The design provides a drip edge which directs water away from the hive.Dimensions: 20 x 16-1/4 x 3/4

ship Weight: 4 lbs.

tOC-10-ULt Ultimate Hive Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . $24.50

r-VaLUe

6.5

NailsUse the 7d Nails for Hive Bodies and Supers. Packed in 1 lb. box. See page 45 for frame nails.ship Weight: 1 lb.

note: Do not nail the rabbet on your hive bodies and supers with a 7d nail. We recommend first gluing the rabbet, then using a 1 1/4 nail.

Hint: 1lb. of 7d nails will assemble 5 hive bodies.

Na14 1 1/4 Nails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.20 Na7d1 7d Nails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2.75

screwed, not nailed. we assemble our inner and outer Covers with screws for a better fit and a longer life. we prefer this to the use of nails. This equipment is subject to a lot of twisting stresses when being pried up after the bees have propolized it down.

Universal Entrance ReducerFits all 8 or 10 frame hives with 3/4 entrances. This metal reducer slides open a full 4 to make it easy to remove piled up dead bees in the spring. Mouse proof.ship Weight: 1 lb.

Uer1 Universal entrance reducer . . . . . . . . .$2.00

Universal Entrance ClosureFits all 8 and 10 frame hives. Great for moving hives a single tack holds it in place. For longer moves and more security, use two tacks. One size fits all. Made of rust-free aluminum.ship Weight: 1 lb.

UeC1 Universal entrance Closure . . . . . . . . . . $2.00

Betterbee 7/8 Woodenware is Longer Lasting. beware of rabett-jointed hives. They do not last, even if glued.

Betterbee 7/8 Woodenware is stronger. all box jointed construction.

our supers and hive bodies are available assembled (shown above) or unassembled (shown here)

a full line of 7/8 inch woodenware - is thicker, stronger and longer lasting.

Betterbee

10 frame WoodwarePlease call for bulk

ordering pricing

2013

Betterbee Open Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Order Toll-Free: 800-632-3379 | Order by Fax: 518-691-9226 | On the Web: www.betterbee.com

10 frame wooden hive Components 2322 10 frame wooden hive Components

Reversible Bottom Board 10 frame versionThe foundation and entrance to the hive. Our two-sided, Reversible Bottom Board has a 3/8 entrance on one side and a 3/4 entrance on the other. Made with rab-beted crosspieces to help keep out mois-ture. Available in longer lasting Eastern White Cedar or top-quality Eastern Pine. Comes fully assembled screwed, not nailed. Includes FREE Wooden Entrance Reducer for winter use.Dimensions: 22 x 16-1/4 x 1-7/8

ship Weight: 5 lbs.

WHite CeDar

rBBC1 reversible Bottom Board 10 frame . . . . $14.95 5+ bottom boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.50

easterN PiNe

rBB1 reversible Bottom Board 10 frame . . . . $13.95 5-24 bottom boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.50 25+ bottom boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.00

Double Screen 10 frame versionAlso called the Snellgrove Board. Using a Double Screen allows you to effectively run a 2-queen (or even a 3-queen) hive. The double screen in the middle keeps the bees that are above from directly commu-nicating with the bees that are below the screen, while still allowing heat to circulate in the hive. By manipulating the three different double entrances, one can add or subtract bees from the top or bottom, or run two splits on top of one parent colony. Can also be used to increase hive populations and foster swarm control. Comes fully assembled screwed, not nailed.Dimensions: 20 x 16-1/4 x 1-1/4

ship Weight: 5 lbs.

note: We only recommend the use of a Double screen to the experienced beekeeper who has both the time and inclination to manipulate a hive for maximum population and production.

DsC1 Double screen 1-4 screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16.95 5+ screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16.50

Cedar Hive Stands 10 frame versionProvides a wider porch for entering bees. Constructed from Eastern White Cedar which is slow to decay when in contact with the ground. Should last a lifetime. Shipped unassembled with pre-drilled holes and screws for easy assembly.ship Weight: 5 lbs.

staND1 stand for 10 frame Wooden Hives . . . $13.95

Ultimate Hive Stands 10 frame versionThe only hive stand you will ever need. Hive is elevated 12 inches above the ground, a perfect working height. Included frame holders provide a safe and convenient place to hold frames during hive inspections. Plastic construction never needs painting and will not rot.Specify 10 frame, 8 frame or beemax hive.ship Weight: 5 lbs.

staND-10-ULt Ultimate Hive standHives................$74.50

built-in double screen

Three easy-to-use entrances

made with plywood, not masonite

Slatted Rack 10 frame versionUse for better wintering and swarm control. A Slatted Rack is installed, as pictured, between the bottom board and the bottom brood chamber. In the winter, it keeps the brood chamber warmer so the queen can lay right to the bottom of the frame. In the spring and summer, when hive populations are at their largest, it pro-vides a cluster space in the hive which can reduce swarming. Available for either 9 (for those who run 9 frames in a 10 frame hive) or 10 Frame Hives. Slats run perpen-dicular to the entrance. Fully assembled.Dimensions: 20 x 16-1/4 x 2-1/4

ship Weight: 5 lbs.

note 1: our slatted rack can be used in combination with our Varroa screens. the slats run from back to front so that they are directly under the hive body frames. that way when the Varroa mites fall naturally off the bees, they fall through the slats and through the Varroa screen.

note 2: install slatted rack with the bars directly against the hive body and the open space above the bottom board.

Bee History: slatted racks were first developed in 1900 by C.C. miller, author of the classic, Fifty years among the Bees. they were refined in 1950 by Carl Killion, who wrote the bible on raising comb honey, Honey in the Comb. We learned about them from John Brant, one of the few successful commercial beekeepers in n.y.s cold adirondack mountain region. John swears they are abso-lutely essential to good wintering and swarm control in the north.

sr10 slatted rack 10 frame hive sr9 slatted rack 9 frame hive 1-4 slatted racks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.50 5+ slatted racks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.00

Sticky Board Place this on your debris tray or slip it in under the Varroa Screen. Leave for 3 days and then remove and count the mites. Divide the total number of mites by 3 to get the mite drop per day. In the spring if you find more than 5, or in the fall if you find more than 10 treat.Dimension: 17 x 12

ship Weight: 1 lb.

Hint: Knowing the varroa mite levels in your hive is the single most important piece of disease information you can have about your hive. use this information to imple-ment and monitor your control program.

sB1 sticky Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2.95 5-24 boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2.85 25+ boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2.50

Varroa Screen 10 frame versionOur Varroa Screen is placed on a regular bottom board. The front entrance of the bottom board is closed off, forcing the bees to enter above the screen. A certain percentage of Varroa Mites will fall off the bees accidentally or when transferring from bee to bee. With the Varroa Screen on the hive, the mites will fall through the screen onto the bottom board. With the screen in place, they cannot hitch a ride back into the hive and, consequently, they just die in place on the bottom board. Mite fall may be as high as 30%.

Features:

1. Has extra wide 4-3/4 entrance board

2. Can be used without a solid bottom board - debris will fall on the ground.

3. Ideal for IPM treatment of Varroa use our trays to monitor the mite fall.

Dimensions: 22 x 16-1/4 x 1-1/2

ship Weight: 4 lbs.

Hint: if you reverse the bottom board and have the old entrance facing out the back, you can do your monitoring from the back of the hive.

VsC2 Varroa screen 10 frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.25

Varroa Screen and Tray CombinationPurchase this combo and save additional 5%. Dimensions: 22 x 16-1/4 x 1-1/2

ship Weight: 7 lbs.

VarrOaCOMBO1 10 frame varroa screen and Tray Combination . . . . . . $19.20

VarrOaCOMBO1- eCONOMY 10 frame

varroa screen and economy Tray Combination $17.30

Varroa Monitor & Debris Tray 10 frame versionFits under our Varroa Screen. Use it to remove the debris that builds up on the bottom board. If your ultimate goal is effi-ciency, choose this one.Dimension: 13-3/4 x 17-3/4

ship Weight: 3 lbs.

note: shown with Bottom Board and Varroa screen for illustration purposes only. each sold separately.

Hint: When using a Varroa screen, the mites will just sit on the tray and die. they are programmed to wait for a ride on an incoming bee.

traY1 Monitor/Debris tray 10 frame . . . . . . . . $5.95

monitor and debris Tray (slides in at back of hive)

varroa screen

bottom board

Economy Varroa Monitor & Debris Tray 10 frame versionFits under our Varroa Screen, an alterna-tive for the cost-conscious beekeeper. We recommend smearing the tray with petroleum jelly to capture the falling debris. If your ultimate goal is economy, while maintaining functionality, choose this one.Dimension: 13-3/4 x 17-3/4

ship Weight: 3 lbs.

note: shown with Bottom Board and Varroa screen for illustration purposes only. each sold separately.

etraY1 economy Monitor/ Debris tray 10 frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.95

noTe: all components sold separately

One Piece Hive Wrap InsulationProtect your hives from harsh winter winds with our new and improved hive wrap insulation. This extra thick wrap will cover a colony with two hive bodies, sliding right over the colony. Designed perfectly for 10 frame equipment, but can be used for 8 frame hives as well.ship Weight: 1 Piece/3 lbs.

HW1 Hive Wrap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $17.95

2013

Photo by Lucinda Van Vleck www.beemeadowartandgifts.com

Order Toll-Free: 800-632-3379 | Order by Fax: 518-691-9226 | On the Web: www.betterbee.com

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24 header goes here

Plastic Queen Excluder 10 frame versionThe enhanced design of our excluder allows bees to pass through more readily. Frequent cross-bracings make for excep-tional strength and long life. Its easy to clean wax from these plastic excluders. Put them in the freezer overnight. Then, simply bend them and the wax will pop off.Dimensions: 19-7/8 x 16-3/8 x 1/8

ship Weight: 2 lbs.

QeP10 Plastic Queen excluder 10 frame 1-24 excluders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.35 25+ excluders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3.00

Metal Queen Excluder 10 frame versionThis all metal excluder is placed above the brood chamber to keep the queen from entering the honey supers. Its wide enough to let the workers through, but too narrow for the queen. Features stain-less steel screen and galvanized binding.Dimensions: 19-3/4 x 16-1/8 x 3/8.

ship Weight: 3 lbs.

QeM1 Metal Queen excluder 1-4 excluders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6.15 5-24 excluders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.80 25+ excluders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.50

proper placement on a wooden hive body. proper placement on a beemax hive body.

24 queen excluders and hive dividers

tUrN it siDeWaYs if you are concerned that your excluder will slow your bees down when storing nectar in the supers, just turn it sideways. The bees can go around the edges, but the queen usually stays in the middle of the hive and is excluded. once you are confident your supers are drawing enough workers, you can turn the excluder to its tradi-tional placement, but remember to check for your queen up in the supers.

HOLD ONtO tHat sWarM brian daigle, an experienced upstate ny beekeeper, gave us this great idea: after a swarm is caught, insert a queen excluder between the bottom board and hive body for a few days to keep your swarm from leaving.

Plastic Hive DividerA handy device for the serious beekeeper. This adjustable, plastic divider with two built-in Queen Excluders enables you to raise two nucs efficiently in a single hive. It hangs from the rabbet in your hive body and has two built-in sliding doors which can be kept open or closed. Behind the windows are the built-in Queen Excluders. With the windows adjusted, you can run a 2-queen colony in your hive body.Dimensions: this Hive Divider is adjustable vertically: 9-3/4 10-1/2, and horizontally: 17-3/4 18-3/4 to accommodate variations in Langstroth hive bodies and different bottom boards.

ship Weight: 1 lb.

Hint: this Hive Divider can be placed in the middle of the hive body to raise two 5-frame nucs or placed to one side to raise a 3-frame nuc and a 7-frame nuc. this divider is easily removed if you wish to recombine the 2 nucs or harvest one of the queens for use in another hive.

HDiV1 Plastic Hive Divider 1-4 dividers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7.95 5+ dividers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7.25

The industry standard. Pollen trap comes fully assembled and allows collection of fresh clean pollen for making pollen patties or for sale. Available in top and bot-tom mount versions. Pollen is clean and can be harvested without opening the hive.

Complete instructions included.ship Weight: 9 lbs.

Keep it fresh: a collection drawer that is easy to access and manage means you can collect more often. Frequent harvesting ensures freshness.

Keep it clean: the integrated Luan cover protects the pollen from debris that falls within the hive..

PtraPB10 Bottom-Mounted Pollen trap 10 frame version. . . . . . . .$61.95PtraPB8 Bottom-Mounted Pollen trap 8 frame version. . . . . . . . $61.95PtraPt10 top-Mounted Pollen trap 10 frame version. . . . . . . . . . .$54.50PtraPt8 top-Mounted Pollen trap 8 frame version. . . . . . . . . . . . $54.50

Betterbee Anatomic Pollen TrapThis all plastic, front-mounted pollen trap is ideal for someone who wants to occa-sionally collect small amounts of pollen. Mounts on front of standard 10 frame wooden hives. It will not fit on Beemax or 8 frame equipment. If you plan to col-lect large amounts of pollen you will want to consider the Sundance pollen trap.Dimensions: 14-7/8 x 5-1/2 x 3-1/2

ship Weight: 2 lbs.

note: this trap Cannot be used with our Beemax Hives because of a different size entrance.

Hint 1: What we like most about this trap is its ventilated collection drawer, which we believe results in less mold in the pollen during humid springs.

Hint 2: use this trap if you are using a Varroa screen (see page 23) for mite reduction.

PtraP1 Pollen trap front-mounted 1-4 Traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.95 5-24 Traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.50 25+ Traps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.00

ventilatedCollectiondrawer

anatomicentrancescreen

drone entrance

sundance pollen trap

pollen Traps 25

Order Toll-Free: 800-632-3379 | Order by Fax: 518-691-9226 | On the Web: www.betterbee.comBetterbee Open Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Contains everything you need (except the bees) for your first complete season of beekeeping.1. wood/galvanized Telescoping outer Cover 2. wooden inner Cover 3. beemax hivetop feeder w/ drown guard 4. 2 medium supers w/16 frames 5. 2 hive bodies w/16 frames 6. reversible bottom board 7. 10 hive Tool 8. stainless steel smoker w/ heat shield 9. beginning beekeeping book 10. leather gloves - specify size 11. hard plastic helmet 12. round Tie-down veil 13. queen excluder 14. varroa screen 15. varroa monitor & debris Tray

Complete 8

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