Why I Prefer TopBar Hives For My Bees.
I brought my first TopBar hive in 2009 after reading about and watching web clips on them . Plus, I was becoming more aware of what was happening with our bees overseas, the huge losses of colonies. . . Everything I read about natural beekeeping and caring for bees in a healthier way, pointed to using these hives.
I had given a bee talk to the local Organics group, mentioning I would really like a TopBar hive. One of the men who I hadn`t met before, kindly offered to build me one if I got a plan for it. Well, I was very quick to tell Pete about Phil Chandler`s wonderful site, BioBees which had plans to download free ! Hence my first TB hive was duly built and I was very proud !
Built from macrocarpa wood which doesn`t need any treatment, is thicker and warm, cool in the summer, and ages to a lovely silver colour, my hive stands proud in my garden. Two holes in one side and a viewing window along the back. treated wood legs which will last hopefully for afew years and a very light roof, real-estate sign nailed onto a wooden surround or solid roof, this makes the roof easy to lift and is water proof. I love my hive, it is a beautiful addition to my garden - the bees seem to think it is ok also !
I believe using this kind of hive for my bees is as close to their natural home as possible - it provides a warm, safe place, up off the ground with minimum manipulation from me ! The bees are allowed to make their own comb as they need - which is how it should be . . .
I had given a bee talk to the local Organics group, mentioning I would really like a TopBar hive. One of the men who I hadn`t met before, kindly offered to build me one if I got a plan for it. Well, I was very quick to tell Pete about Phil Chandler`s wonderful site, BioBees which had plans to download free ! Hence my first TB hive was duly built and I was very proud !
Built from macrocarpa wood which doesn`t need any treatment, is thicker and warm, cool in the summer, and ages to a lovely silver colour, my hive stands proud in my garden. Two holes in one side and a viewing window along the back. treated wood legs which will last hopefully for afew years and a very light roof, real-estate sign nailed onto a wooden surround or solid roof, this makes the roof easy to lift and is water proof. I love my hive, it is a beautiful addition to my garden - the bees seem to think it is ok also !
I believe using this kind of hive for my bees is as close to their natural home as possible - it provides a warm, safe place, up off the ground with minimum manipulation from me ! The bees are allowed to make their own comb as they need - which is how it should be . . .
Bars
My hive has sloped sides which is meant to stop the bees attaching wax comb to the sides as bracing, they sometimes do, it is easy enough to run a sharp knife down the sides before taking a bar out to detach. The bars fit closely together down the length of the hive, they have a groove on the underside which I rubbed wax on to encourage the bees to start making their new combs straight down. The wood is wonderful, smells so good and is still in its rough state. Do not add anything inside as the bees will propolise any nooks and crannies and throw out anything that shouldn`t be there !
Being at the height it is, there is no bending or lifting, easy to work in and as you are only taking out afew bars at once, the bees are much calmer. I don`t usually use a smoker, instead I have a spray bottle with a weak sugar solution that usually stops them if they get abit grumpy.
Being at the height it is, there is no bending or lifting, easy to work in and as you are only taking out afew bars at once, the bees are much calmer. I don`t usually use a smoker, instead I have a spray bottle with a weak sugar solution that usually stops them if they get abit grumpy.
Comb with Bees
Beautiful, clean comb made by the bees to store their nectar and pollen in, for the queen to lay her eggs in,for the baby bees to grow in and for the whole superorganism to live on.
Without this wax home the bees would not survive, the instinct after swarming is to start making comb very quickly so the queen can begin to lay - the hive builds up in numbers, more comb is made - everything as it should be ..
Without this wax home the bees would not survive, the instinct after swarming is to start making comb very quickly so the queen can begin to lay - the hive builds up in numbers, more comb is made - everything as it should be ..