Top bar hives

Posted by Kathrina Muller on August 27, 2011 at 10:36pm

I have just had a friend make me a top bar hive from plans downloaded from the barefoot beekeeper site.   In fact he made 2 and is now selling the second one on trade me just now.

If you are interested see listing 401509712



I would be interested to hear how other people are finding the top bar hive.

I used to rent hives but gave that up when my neighbour started getting back into bee keeping, and said he would help me with my hives.  Unfortunately it looks as if my neighbours and the one hive I had here as succumed to CCD.  So I am also on the look out for a swarm or else I will have to buy a nuc.

I am planning to put wax into the groves of the top bars, and wasn't sure how much to put in. 

I would love to hear any hints from someone who does have a successful Top Bar hive.

 

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Replies

  • Rachel November 6, 2011 at 6:49am

    Hi there, 

    I am just wondering how many bars of honeycomb should be in the hive for the bees? 

     

    Thanks 

     

  • Janet Luke October 25, 2011 at 1:12pm
    have you visited www.saveourbees.org.nz  lots of info and community forum on  Top Bar Hives. Also a petition to sign to help stop the authorities making TopBar Hives illegal http://www.petitiononline.co.nz/petition/the-right-to-bee/1348
  • Nicholas Mayne August 30, 2011 at 11:42pm
    See my post on the main group page. I have some bees I can give you on 360mm long bars. So long as you replace the bars and bring someone who can check for AFB.
    • Kathrina Muller > Nicholas Mayne September 4, 2011 at 11:35am

      Hi Nicholas,Thank you for your offer. 

      my bars are 390 long so I would have to get some smaller ones to give you, and then find a way to attach the smaller bars to my bars.

      I know several people who have done the course to check for AFB, and have said they would check my hives but I am not sure  I can get them to your place.  I will ask around.  where abouts are your hives.

      Kathrina

    • Nicholas Mayne > Kathrina Muller September 7, 2011 at 12:16am
      I am in Unsworth Heights on the North Shore. I just checked them yesterday. Looking healthy and happy. I did not get all the way through the box; but on the bars I did check I found some empty queen cells; so hopfully they will set aside some new queens soon. Box was still full.
    • Nicholas Mayne > Nicholas Mayne September 25, 2011 at 10:48pm

      Kia ora. Too late to get bees now. I missed the swarm by a couple of days. I should have split them earlier but I got distracted with other chores.

       

      Had the bees inspected for AFB though and they are fine.

       

      I have tried to take a couple of bars with queen cells off to establish a nuc for a mate from church.

    • Nicholas Mayne > Nicholas Mayne September 7, 2011 at 12:17am

      my cell phone is 022 0662963 if you want to arrange a time.

       

      You may not ahev to attach the bars to anything. My 360 bars sit inside my other 400 hive nicley.

  • Frugal Kiwi August 28, 2011 at 5:26am
    Katherine, we ran a bit a cotton string along the bottom and held it in with a notch at either end. We placed the bars on a baking sheet, grated a bit of wax over them and then put them under the grill for a minute or two. If you'd like to see what we've been up to with our top bar hive, feel free to stop by the Frugal Kiwi and have a peek under Bees.
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