Recent content by Cie

No, but I have experience of not pulling the hive apart once a week beekeeping which is essentially what you'd be doing if you used these sites. My bees are as happy as can be, thriving and just getting on with their getting on. They seem to be quite content with me not interfering; so if I were...

LOL not worthy You mean that it doesn't/hasn't worked for you.

Or maybe I don't do stupid things like move a hive during the day. Clearly that's always going to be a failure. Move the hive at the end of the day, obscure the entrance for the next few days and they'll re-orientate. Works for me, my mentor and pretty much every one I know that's done it.

I was taught that no matter when or how far you move a hive if you obscure the entrance with twigs, brush, branches or anything that'll make the bees re-orientate then they'll be fine. It's always worked for me.

Absolutely Chris, and there are some using them very successfully for their business.

Good luck. There are more and more people exploring this way of beekeeping, and the handful of 10 years ago is expanding rapidly. Of course, resistance from the old guard is strong as you have seen; but don't let that put you off finding your own way. Just because you choose not to pull your...

OK, so if you're going to be in this for the honey I don't have much to offer, but if you're planning on this venture being about the bees, then I most certainly can help. Just ask.

Hi amblik, there are lots of us in the county, so let us know where you are and the help and advice will come.

...and very good it was too. Lots of thought provoking stuff.

They're not that difficult to make, and not actually that expensive to make either, although they do initially take a long time to make. My 40 litre skep has taken about 8 hours so far. Is it possible to ask the beekeeper you met if he'll teach you how to make them? That way you'll have one...

:yeahthat:

Actually mbc, in both Kenyan and Warré the bees will fix the comb to the side walls, but it's easily cut with a knife; not necessarily causing major damage. I've been into a few Warré hives and once the walls were free, the inspection was easy. But of course, most people that are using top bar...

The term top bar refers to the piece of wood that the bees build comb on, not the hive. Kenyan, Warré and Sun are all top bar hives, in the same way that National and WBC are frame hives.

No. What you said was: A Warré hive IS a top bar hive.

A Warré is a top bar hive, but a vertical top bar hive rather than a horizontal one. Night Owl, PM me if you'd like to.