Why do top bars have hives?
Top bar hives allow bees to build comb in a natural way. With a top bar hive, there are no “extra” boxes to store during winter. This will help reduce the likelihood of wax moths overwintering in your hives. The bees inside a top bar beehive overwinter better than bees inside a Langstroth hive.
Do top bar hives need ventilation?
Your top bar hive needs some type of roof to go over the flat lid of the hive. Whether it is a Cathedral Hive or a regular Top Bar Hive, proper ventilation from a roof is needed. With a Top Bar Hive the combs can become very soft and fragile if the hive is overheating.
How much honey can you get from a top bar hive?
As mentioned above, a three-foot long top bar hive with my cross-section size, has a maximum hive weight packed full of honey of about 150 pounds (68 kg). Hive number 10 is about at its maximum weight. I can use its extra honey to feed other colonies.
Are top bar hives legal in Australia?
Top Bar Hives are accepted in Australia for keeping bees.
Do top bar hives have queen excluders?
A queen excluder is not typically part of a top bar hive, because they are operated under totally different principals compared to typical box hives (langstroth, national etc…). In a Langstroth: The beekeeper harvests whole boxes of frames at once.
How do you manage the top bar hives?
In a horizontal top bar hive, the bees will expand from the side out rather than vertically into stacking boxes. As the colony grows, slide the divider board, like a moving wall, down the hive cavity and add empty bars. In the height of beekeeping season, we recommend staying 3 bars ahead of their built out comb.
What happens to honey if not harvested?
The honey that is not harvested goes to feed the colony during the cold winter months. They leave what they do not use and build upon it the next season. Secondly, other bees and insects steal honey that is in the hives. Bees from other colonies will bring back honey from another hive to their own.
Can I have a beehive in my garden?
You are allowed to have a beehive in your garden as long as you meet the current legal requirements related to the minimum or buffer distance between the hive, neighboring houses, public walkways and public buildings. This is always defined and voted at the local government level, or by the municipality itself.
Will bees repair a damaged queen cell?
In my experience they usually fix an uncapped cell quickly (assuming the larva isn’t damaged). They may fix a capped cell, if the larva isn’t damaged. Sometimes the tear it down.
Do you need a queen excluder in a horizontal hive?
No Queen Excluder In a horizontal hive, the queen can go wherever she wants. However, as in the wild, she will likely keep the brood in a close-knit section of the box. The rest of the hive will be available for food and honey stores.
What does a top bar hive look like?
What is a top bar hive? The top bar hive is the oldest and most commonly used hive style in the world. It features individual bars laid across the top of the hive cavity. The bees build their comb down from these bars naturally, without the use of a 4 sided frame or foundation.
What does a top bar beehive do for bees?
Many beekeepers will use top bars that have a small “comb guide” hanging down. This provides the bees with a head-start, of sorts, from which they draw comb. Like the Warre, the use of top bars means a foundationless hive, which is very attractive to those following natural beekeeping principles.
How big is a Kenyan top bar hive?
Kenya style Top Bar Hive being constructed. The sides are one by twelves 46 1/2″ long. The bottom is a one by six 46 1/2″ long. The ends are one by twelves 15″ long.
When to put a top entrance on a hive?
Answer: In any hive (top bar or otherwise) I think a top entrance in the winter is always a good plan. It lets out the moisture and cuts down on condensation. Heat is seldom the problem, condensation is the problem in winter. A top entrance will let it out.