Top Bar Beekeeping Forum

[Cacklewack]

Greetings,

First, thank you kindly for this wonderfully informative forum providing an alternative to the norm in beekeeping.

I have recently become convinced that top bars are the best available option for sustainable, healthy beekeeping at a minimal cost. I presently have one vertical hive and plan to place a good number of top bars at various locations throughout the Portland area next Spring. I am curious, however, as to a few particulars:

1) Nucleus vs. Package. I've read on here that many recommend packages since the nuc frames won't fit in the TBH and attempting to make them work in a top bar, such as using a Tanzanian TBH, is not recommended.

2) In the same vein, if using packages, will the bees build on the top bars without ANY foundation in the hive? I know that in Langstroths when attempting to go foundationless the keeper often has to place frames of comb next to the empty frame. Essentially, can I simply dump in bees and let them do the rest? I've seen some people use starter strips such as Norm in this thread: http://www.biobees.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1234

Will that be sufficient?

3) What type of medications or IPV, if any, do you all use in your top bars? How successful has your method been?

I'm sure I'll have more questions in the very near future.

Thanks for your help!

Matt

[GarlyDog]

Welcome.

You have it right. If you build the hive per the Biobee website instructions, you simply dump them in. The bees build what they need.

There is an on-going discussion of how to construct the top bars. And we are working toward improving our collective approach. It seems, from my experience, that building some kind of guide, either wood or wax into the top bars, minimizes cross combing.

Regarding medications, most of us all natural approaches such as powdered sugar dusting and essential oils for mite control. So far, my hives haven't had any mite problems with preventative dustings of powdered sugar.
_________________
Gary

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[Cacklewack]

[GarlyDog]

I haven't had to use anything other than the powdered sugar. I suggest doing a search on the forum. My recollection is others have tried a variety of essential oils, but tea leaf oil does come to mind.
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Gary

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[biobee]

[FollowMeChaps]

[Cacklewack]

Thanks for the response, Phil. I'd love to get some more insight from those who have used packages this year in fresh top bars. Speak up if you can! I'm intent on soon beginning the building process of more than a dozen top bars for 2009, and I've love to nail down the nuc vs. package issue.

Also, Phil, I purchased your book last night and I'm beginning to read it now. Looks good!

Thanks,
Matt

[GarlyDog]

I started with a package in early May. My TBH has 24 full bars. I have removed a few to keep them from overcrowding and swarming. I am using Italians.
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Gary

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[biobee]

[ltg]

[biobee]

Here's the thread on gapped bars: http://www.biobees.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=571&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

The idea is that bees will be less likely to build comb across gaps and thus reduce the problem of cross-combing - the bane of the TBHer. There should be other advantages, such as:

[list=]1. ease of feeding - a standard Miller feeder or similar could be used
2. ease of transfer - a framed brood box could be placed on top of a TBH and the bees allowed to work their way down into it
3. ease of treatment - icing sugar could be applied from above
4. ease of supering - for those who don't mind lifting boxes[/list]

Gapped bars would also allow the use of Warré-style insulating boxes, which I think are an excellent idea for removing condensation as well as keeping the atmosphere in the hive.

I hope others will try various styles of top bar, so we can get a better picture of what works in a variety of locations and conditions.
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The Barefoot Beekeeper www.biobees.com

[wannabee]

Matt, I am also in Portland if you ever want to connect. This is my first year with a package I got from Ruhl, they have been very gentle, and prolific, and also swarmy (which may be because of defects in my hive design, I just made a swarm prevention split and moved them to a bigger (better?) hive today).

Anyway, I am trying to take extensive notes on the process, including nectar sources, which I would be happy to share. PM me if you want to make contact, my summer break is over and I am back to work and should be easier to track down now.

Good luck!
cheers
Laura
_________________
Wannabee
Portland, OR

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
-Benjamin Franklin

[Norm]

I have a gut feeling that gapped bars in a HTBH is a backward step! They may be useful in the transfer from one hive unto a TBH. Apart from that, I am not sure the advantages outweigh the obvious disadvantage of the bees being open to the top when the roof is off. All the other problems with ungapped top bars are easily worked around. Cross combing can be alleviated with correct comb management and starter strips. Feeding is not a problem with modified feeders. Sugar dusting can be done from the top as per my recent post. Supering! Don't go there! Not supering is the biggest advantage of the TBH IMHO.
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Feral bees are natures survivors and have, by the survival of the fittest principle, overcome disease and mite problems without mans intervention.

[Tavascarow]