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Try warming the foundation a little so it gets a nice fresh smell AND/OR remove the foundations from one of the frames and just put in a small starter strips at the top, 1 inch or so is fine. Bees sometimes seem happier to move up and drawer new comb in an empty frame.

That is odd because we have some pretty full on winters here and my hive does just fine. I also know beekeepers in sweden, canada, russia, and ukraine who use them with no problem.

That's funny I thought it was developed in Canada. But then I guess I tend to learn about something first before having an extreme opinion about it.

Are there actually any top bar bee keepers who use this forum? I am curious as I swing by here once in a while and there is no where near the activity for this hive type as with other forums.

I use raw linseed oil and if I am feeling like I can be bothered I melt some beeswax into it first. I try to keep it natural, in this case it also keeps it cheap.

People are right. Try not to get to hung up on the box and consider more the management. The Warre hive can be used with the Warre management process (is designed for it) but it can be managed in much the same way as conventional hive too. Using half frames or frames, ans supering. Equally, your...

Here are some plans I put together for the Phil Chandler style hive. I have tried to make them clear to follow. http://augustcottageapiary.wordpress.com/building-plans-for-a-topbar-hive/

Definitely worth doing. a box 20-40 litres, a six frame nuc works well. You can easily knock up a box to take tbe frames from OSB or ply. On in tol bar this is about 10 bars. Entrance shape isnt important but not too big. A hole of 1/2 - 1" is good and can be easily plugged with a cork. old...

cheers ears! :)

Hi All I have started a forum group for bee keepers within North Yorkshire in order that people can share regional specific advice, and perhaps network a bit to provide hands-on support to one another. Please join if you are interested. cheers Andyb

There is no reason at all why you can't use national brood boxes with the rose method if you wanted to and you have enough. If you are worried about the weight, harvest the frames out of the box before lifting the box. A little bit of a faff about but better then having to buy/build a lot more...

Shake out all the bees some distance from the hive. The idea being that the laying workers may never have left the hive so won't be able to find their way back. Then when you combine them dust with icing sugar. Hopefully they'll be too busy grooming the sugar off of themselves to notice they're...

Someone may have smoked the entrance and forced the queen up onto the excluder. Very easy for her to end up in super then.

Probably been replaced. Keep her and put her in a small amount of alcohol. The resulting solution makes for a excellent swarm lure.

As long as the body of the hive is sound that is the main thing. The roof is really just a weather cover. I have just had to rebuild my roof as the old one demolished itself. As an interim I gaffer taped a piece of plastic over the top and stuffed grass into any cracks. The top bars themselves...

Thanks Andy Spent sometime emailing all the local associations and after two weeks I still had no response from Ryedale but Scarborough buckled under the inbox pressure and got back to me and I am visiting the association apiary tonight! I was very lucky to have caught a swarm within a month...

I don't think the sensitisation results from ibuprofen (or NSAIDS ins general) will last that long. There have only been a few documented cases of this occurring. http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/PUarticles/bee.htm The mechanism involved is unknown but it is likely to be the same seen in...

I often visit my bees and open up the hive for feeding etc with just a T-shirt for upper body coverage. They don't tend to like it if you a walking toward or standing in the way of their entrance. Best to stay off to one side. Stay calm. No strong scents. I often have a plant mister with water...

It'll sort itself out. Either the queens will scrap it out or the workers will just stop feeding the older queen. If the two queens were closely related it could be you've just fooled the bees into thinking there is a supersedure occuring.

From what I can tell buckfast are great provided you are willing to requeen and keep the lineage pure. Queens mated out with locals can result in some nasty offspring. A lot of people are using italian bees at the moment it seems, they don't like the wind, and will rear broad late if you leave...