10 Frame Beginner Beekeeping Starter Kit
Everything a new beekeeper needs to start a hive — assembled, ready to paint, and shipped from a working beekeeping operation in South Carolina. One purchase covers your woodenware, frames, tools, protective gear, and the most-recommended beekeeping book. The only thing you add is bees.
Features
- 10-frame screened bottom board (assembled)
- 10-frame deep brood chamber with 10 deep frames + Acorn triple-waxed plastic foundation
- 10-frame medium honey super with 10 medium frames + Acorn triple-waxed plastic foundation
- Inner cover and telescoping outer cover (heavy-duty, weather-resistant)
- Reversible wooden entrance feeder + entrance reducer
- Small stainless steel smoker with leather bellows
- Stainless steel hive tool
- Bee brush
- Custom beekeeping jacket with attached veil (choose your size at checkout)
- Goatskin elbow-length protective gloves (choose your size at checkout)
- Beekeeping For Dummies (latest edition)
How it works in real life
This is the kit we recommend for a first-time beekeeper installing a package of bees in spring. Everything ships fully assembled — you'll spend a weekend painting the exterior of the brood chamber, super, and covers (any exterior latex works), then it's ready for the day your bees arrive. The screened bottom board provides summer ventilation; the reversible entrance reducer protects the hive during winter and weak periods. Acorn's triple-waxed plastic foundation is the industry standard for new beekeepers because it's nearly impossible to damage and bees draw it out reliably.
Before you order
Pick your jacket and glove sizes at checkout. Get this right the first time — protective gear that doesn't fit well makes inspections miserable.
Pairs Well With
- A 3-lb package of bees with a marked queen (sold separately, in season)
- Bee Lively Pollen Patty for early colony build-up
- Wooden Pollen Trap (fits 8 and 10 frame hives) for harvesting pollen later in the season
- Exterior latex paint for the woodenware
- A local beekeeping association membership — we always recommend joining
Specifications
- Hive configuration: 10-frame Langstroth
- Brood chamber: 1 deep
- Honey super: 1 medium
- Foundation: Acorn triple-waxed plastic
- Frames included: 10 deep + 10 medium (20 total)
- Smoker: small, stainless steel with leather bellows
- Gloves: goatskin, elbow-length
- Book: Beekeeping For Dummies (current edition)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this kit come with bees?
No. Bees are sold separately and only available in spring — typically March through May in South Carolina. We sell 3-lb packages with a marked queen during package season. Order your kit well before your bees arrive so you have time to paint and set it up.
Do I need to paint the hive before installing bees?
Yes. Untreated wood breaks down fast outdoors. Plan on a weekend to paint the exterior of the brood chamber, super, and covers — any exterior latex works. Don't paint the interior of any box, the frames, or the underside of boxes that stack on others.
Is the 10 Frame Beginner enough for a first-year honey harvest?
It can be, but it's tight. The standard beginner kit ships with one brood chamber and one honey super, so a strong colony often fills both and stalls until you add capacity. If a first-year harvest matters to you, the 10 Frame Deluxe ships with two brood chambers and two supers and avoids that bottleneck.
What size jacket and gloves should I order?
Use your chest measurement for the jacket (jackets run roomy to layer over clothes) and your dominant hand for the gloves. Sizing guides are on each option at checkout. Bee gear that doesn't fit well makes inspections miserable, so it's worth taking a minute to measure.
Can I add more boxes later as my colony grows?
Yes. The 10 Frame Beginner uses standard Langstroth dimensions, so any 10-frame deep, medium, or shallow box from any supplier will stack on it. Adding boxes as your colony grows is a normal part of beekeeping.
