Top-Bar Bee Hives

[cheap&cheerful]

Hi,

Has anyone tried using top-bar bee hives, and if they have how successful are they?




Jill..

[Wombat]

Yeah,

I saw them on a webiste and would be interested in finding out too!

Nev

[cheap&cheerful]

Hi Wombat,

The two best sites I have come across are

http://www.ccdemo.info/GardenBees/CK5/CK5.html

http://www2.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/becomb.htm

I found they gave the clearest diagrams and info. Trouble is they are still going to take a lot of building, so was hoping to find someone that has tried using them.

If I find someone I will put you on to them. And visa versa please.


Jill..

[Wombat]

No problems Jill, thanks~

Nev

[matty]

I have five top bar bee hives, and they are ok. there are a few things to watch out for. Well, before that, don't worry too much aboiut them being precise to the millimetre i have heard all sorts of things about the bees not using them if they are a few mm out. well, bees have been making honey beofre rulers and tape measure were around, so don't fret.

if u are baiting them urself, to get wild bees to come along, be careful about doing this properly. the hives i use have the top bar almost like a "T" - so the bit that sticks down, the "I" bit of the "T" (i wish i could draw this for u) is where the wax goes on. make sure u put the wax only on the lowest part - under the foot of the "T", so the wax is facing down only - if u get carried away and start putting it in the corners, when the bees start to make their combs, they will not be horizontal, or all on one bar - combs will be diagonal to several bars, and when u lift bars off, combs fall. this is as they start on the wax, it is easier. if u can melt on started combs, this is kind of better. I had the guy from the bee place here tell me that if the combs were built diagonally, to take them off and tie them the right way round with string... he was not joking. i decided not to. simply took those combs out and put in a different hive. also, i don't know if u have same problems where u are, but it is worthwhile doing, at the base of the hive, make sure there are no bits of grass or twigs "bridging" gap to hive, and put feet of hive in empty tins filled with used engine oil. this is to stop ants. i had three hives fill up, taking 7 months of waiting, and two weeks later, the bees had all gone cos of the ants. heartbreaking stuff. make sure tehy are water proof too!

but, they are worhtwhile having, top bar hives. collecting own honey is amazing. and u will soon find that bees aren't that aggresive either, u can usually go and watch them right up to the hive without suited armour and smokebombs! and that is with the dreaded "african killer bees" too......blame hollywood for that one, i do. anyway. hope u take up the bee keeping!

[cheap&cheerful]

Thank you Matty for that advice, I will get John to read it when he gets home....his department.

I read somewhere that if you leave an article of your clothing, with your smell on it near the hives, the bees get used to your smell and so don't attack you when you work on the hives.

I think I would still want to err on the side of caution and wear protective clothing!!

Jill..

[Wombat]

Thanks Matty,

I'm still trying to talk my better half into it!

Nev

[matty]

cheepand cheerful and wombat, sound like u both have a case to put to your partners....i have found this link, which explains in detail a couple of different hive designs. u know, i do work really by the way! just that a lot of things coming up in these forums i have already come across! this is one of them. i knew i had seen it somewhere....at least it makes it look more manageable


http://www.echotech.org/technical/techn ... ehiveD.PDF