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Post by ceara on Apr 29, 2009 12:25:46 GMT -5
Anyone here have experience or know someone with a Top Bar hive?
Have been thinking about keeping bees off and on for many years now but never could afford the $500 or so just to start up.
Then I come across info on the top bar hives and thought "hey great we could build those easy." But then wondered what the heck we would do with it all during winter, especially when we get so much snow that would bury any hive boxes.
Yes I realise that these types of hives generate more wax than honey. That's OK, for we don't use that much honey and I am really more interested in the wax.
And someone told me that in Quebec they put beehives into winter shelters because the winters are so horrible. No idea about the validity of that statement. I don't speak French as I'm not native to Quebec and 9/10 of the Quebec websites are in French and I'm not able to find anyone locally to talk to about this.
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Post by pugs on Apr 29, 2009 18:57:11 GMT -5
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Post by synergy on Jan 12, 2011 1:15:49 GMT -5
As scattered as this may sound, I want to try to build a top Bar hive or two myself . I have no bee experience but figured my first goal would be letting them have a healthy colony pollinating the landscape and if I never got honey till I had more equipment or experience later that would be fine, but eventually I would like the benefit of pollen , royal jelly , honey and wax.
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Post by castanea on Jan 12, 2011 1:48:21 GMT -5
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Post by mjc on Jan 12, 2011 2:02:43 GMT -5
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Post by garnetmoth on Jan 14, 2011 16:46:29 GMT -5
those are so neat! I have a friend who is a woodworker!
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Post by garnetmoth on Jan 15, 2011 11:52:06 GMT -5
I am totally in love with this, and my hubby is in! Im going to meet with my friend who does woodwork (this is such an easy thing to assemble- I hope it works well and he can sell them!). Our nearest local farm that raises bees isnt selling swarms yet, but Ive read that if you prime the bars with beeswax and use a drop of lemongrass oil, sometimes they'll populate it anyways.
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Post by synergy on Jan 15, 2011 21:26:52 GMT -5
Garnetmoth, I read that exact same thing about possibly attracting honey bees with the right set up and environment. I was thinking even if I can't harvest the honey the first year and I thought well the plans are free, I have some materials and my thought was to simply make two at once since it is rather easy to duplicate each task at the moment and produce two or maybe even three hives since we could take one to set up on a small remote island destination we frequent as well.
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Post by garnetmoth on Jan 16, 2011 10:55:14 GMT -5
It seems really easy. Even looking around for tools, I bet you could get away with a small spackling knife (to get the top bars off) and a bread knife ( to get down the side if there is any attachment- seen on a You Tube video)
I have found a local beekepers association, and a bee school in the next county in March. I went to some gardening classes with a friend of mine a few years ago and was almost bored stiff, this I think will be enough of a new subject for me that tips and tricks are appreciated!
We just got back from our honeymoon in NZ, and they have some great local honey made from manuka tree. We enjoyed the heck out of it, and it was great for softening skin and healing sunburn. Im also excited about how much wax the top-bars provide.
DH is also quite adamant about the type of wood, hes raised insects for 8 years in grad school and you cant even use pine based paper towels without affecting some hormones, so he wants me to source maple or something (ill check the building reuse store first!)
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bertiefox
gardener
There's always tomorrow!
Posts: 236
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Post by bertiefox on Jan 23, 2011 9:21:08 GMT -5
Before you try it, download Langstroth's original book on the 'Hive and the Honeybee' circa 1860 from Project Gutenberg, and read it.
Top bar hives are just a reversion to the old hives where frames could not easily be moved. I understand the principles underlying the top bar culture, such as treating the bees in a different way, but I fear many potential new beekeepers will be lost after an experience with mangled comb and being unable to look after their hives.
I think there is an alternative which is using conventional hives with starter strips of foundation and treating your bees in the careful and sympathetic way that top bar hive or 'green beekeepers' suggest. If you read Langstroth you will discover he believes passionately in the same principles (of treating the bees lovingly and with great care) and he would be appalled at the way most intensive migratory beekeeping is carried out today.
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bertiefox
gardener
There's always tomorrow!
Posts: 236
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Post by bertiefox on Jan 23, 2011 9:26:33 GMT -5
Sorry, I meant to add, that with 'swarm lures' the most important thing is to site your bait hive at the right height. Bees will rarely enter a hive close to the ground but they will be attracted to old comb in hives at around 4ft to 6ft above it. I usually stack old bee boxes to raise the height to around 4ft for the entrance.
You can play around with various herbs if you like, but the easiest and best thing to use is some honey (from a clean source). Smear this over some old comb and the bees will soon find it.
The way it works is that foraging bees from various remote hives will become acquainted with the existence of your hive, and when their hives start to swarm they will be heading there to inspect your hive as a potential new home. Their prior knowledge from taking honey there will give you a big advantage.
I've used this method for around seven years and have caught swarms every single year.
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Post by johno on Jan 23, 2011 10:40:29 GMT -5
Fantastic knowledge to get - thanks for the idea.
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Post by stratcat on Apr 29, 2011 22:23:26 GMT -5
A week ago (Good Friday) I got the bug for a Top Bar Hive, so I mailed a check for a package of honeybees. That night we went to the city to Menards and picked up lumber and supplies to build a TBH for me. My friend, Kim, is starting this year with two hives and me with one. We got great info at The Barefoot Beekeeper. You can download the instructions we're using here- How to Build a Top Bar HiveYesterday's pics of my unfinished TBH. Kim jumped the gun building it so I didn't get to pitch in so far. The door is open so we can peek in the window. 1st one with the roof off-notice the top bars. 2nd one with the roof on. We have to be ready on 14 May when we pick up our bees! They look like Arks!   |
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Post by stratcat on May 2, 2011 22:34:18 GMT -5
My hive today with the door open. Just have to finish the roof and in 12 days it will have bees!  |
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Post by synergy on May 12, 2011 21:11:24 GMT -5
Congratulations on making your top bar! I petered out and bought a Langstroth hive off of craigslist and now have made supers and new frames for it and hope to have a few project hives for some hopeful expansion but i know nothing about what I am doing yet.
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