How do you keep bees in a top bar hive?
In a top-bar hive, the bees are encouraged to build their wax comb (which holds the cells they fill with honey or developing bees) from a thin strip of “starter wax” applied to the wooden bars, which simply rest across the top of the box that forms the hive.
Do you need a queen excluder in a top bar hive?
You lift a bar, look at it, and decide if it is ready to harvest. If it has brood it is returned and left for another time. During harvesting the whole comb is cut from the bar, before being returned to the bees. There is no need for a queen excluder in such a system.
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.
How long should a top bar hive be?
The length is important. The box itself should be at least 3 feet long, but larger is preferred. Any less and our bees face the risk of filling the box before they have a chance to cap any honey. This means you don’t have the chance to harvest any honey, to free space which, in turn, means your bees may well swarm.
Should I vent my beehive?
Honey bees work best with a warm hive, but you don’t want your colony to overheat. Proper ventilation is a great way to protect your hives from the summer heat and the overwhelming humidity and condensation it might bring.
How much honey does a top bar hive produce?
In 2016 established top bar colonies produced about the same, 62 lbs (28.1 kg), on average. However, if the top bar hive was empty enough (had plenty of storage room), some colonies gained 80 – 90 lbs (36.3 – 40.8 kgs), provided the colony was ready for honey production.
How many times a year can you harvest honey?
Most beekeepers harvest honey 2-3 times per year/season. Honey is normally harvested between mid June until mid September. How often you harvest depends on your local climate and plant life. Poor weather conditions, disease and pests infiltrating your hives will also affect your harvesting schedule.
How deep is a top bar hive?
The depth of the bar and the length of the bar can be whatever the beekeeper wants, but usually between 17″ and 20″. The depth of the top bar hive should be 12″ or less. If deeper, the weight of the comb filled with honey tends to cause it to fall off the bar into the bottom of the hive.
How do you make a top bar hive?
Here’s how to build a top bar bee hive box: Construct an open box out of lumber, with the bottom and ends straight, and the two sides sloping inward at the bottom. Make a removable top for the box. Make bars long enough to fit across the top of the bee hive box widthwise [source: Caldeira].
What is the best Bee Hive?
The Warré hive is one of the best bee hive box units for bees. Ware Manufacturing have designed this unit to ensure you provide the best home for your bees and enjoy maximum productivity from your bees. The hive is made from white-stained cedar, one of the most durable and insect-resistant types of wood.
What is the best Bee Hive feeder?
MonkeyJack Plastic Bee Feeder is one of the best bee feeders with most good features. The feeder can be easily fit in the entrance of the beehive. The small holes present in the feeder allow the smooth flow of feed without any disturbance to the bees. Most buyers feel that the product comes in high-quality…
What is a horizontal bee hive?
Horizontal top-bar hive. A top-bar hive is a single-story frameless beehive in which the comb hangs from removable bars. The bars form a continuous roof over the comb, whereas the frames in most current hives allow space for bees to move up or down between boxes.