Adding a TBH

[Friar Tuck]

I have 2 national hives both wintering well. I would like to add a TBH to my apiary. What is the best way to do this? with out having to buy a TBH nuc?

My thinking was to add another BB on top of one of my nationals, add top bars from a TBH, both being 17". Let the bees draw out the bars, then let the queen lay brood into the comb, then transfer frames over. Also could do the same thing in the other hive but with a QE for stores?

Is there a better way? a shock swam perhaps.

Thanks In Advance

 

[Poly Hive]

I would use a shook swarm.

I do think though that the TBH type hive is a backwards step and not one to be encouraged.

PH

 

[Friar Tuck]

Hey PH can you explain why you think that TBH's are a backwards step ?

 

[Poly Hive]

No because you won't listen... lol In this instance I am a nay sayer.



PH

 

[keithgrimes]

No you're not PH. That is, if you are, you're not the only one.

 

[Friar Tuck]

No because you won't listen... lol In this instance I am a nay sayer.



PH

I will always listen to what a man hast to say, However i may not take any notice.

I just want to know your reasons for your statement

 

[oliver90owner]

If someone wants to keep bees in a TBH, I see little wrong with that.

Less crop, harder to harvest, maybe more swarms, etc etc, but there are some advantages if that is what you want. It's a free choice. Not the way I would want all my hives but that is my choice.

At the present time any method of beekeeping should be encouraged.

RAB

 

[Dishmop]

If someone wants to keep bees in a TBH, I see little wrong with that.

Less crop, harder to harvest, maybe more swarms, etc etc, but there are some advantages if that is what you want. It's a free choice. Not the way I would want all my hives but that is my choice.

At the present time any method of beekeeping should be encouraged.

RAB

Well said RAB.

 

[Tom Bick]

My thinking was to add another BB on top of one of my nationals, add top bars from a TBH, both being 17". Let the bees draw out the bars, then let the queen lay brood into the comb, then transfer frames over. Also could do the same thing in the other hive but with a QE for stores?

Is there a better way? a shock swam perhaps.

Thanks In Advance

Yes I think this will work just make two simple wedges to fit into the BB to act as the sloping sides of the TBH this will prevent you having to trim the comb if it gets a bit on the large side.

I don’t think you will need to worry about stores and you will have to think about a queen but then the bees will by then may have this in hand

This year I have to transfer a 5 frame nuc onto TBH and will do it in a similar way with a BB half normal frames the nuc and 6 top bars with the simple wedge allow the bees to naturally expand onto the top bars then transfer to TBH shake the rest of the bees in from the frames and then decide what to do with the frames

 

[Friar Tuck]

Thanks Tom, good idea to slope the sides in the BB, i knew i was a good idea to ask someone with more experience than my self, i'm looking forward to having a TBH in bee yard

Would you recommend using a QE in between BB1 and BB2 ?

 

[aberreef]

Cut the brood comb to shape then staple the foundation wires to the top bar. The bees will attach the comb to the bar more firmly as they settle

 

[Tom Bick]

Would you recommend using a QE in between BB1 and BB2 ?

No Owen no need for that just treat it like a double brood you want brood in the top box.

You will also have to think of the bee space regarding the two wedges over the lower frames and fix them so they wont drop down.

If you leave or make a few gaps between your top bars then I see no reason why not to fit a super over the 2nd BB above a queen excluder just to free up space for nectar. But the gaps may be something you will have to fix later.

When you transfer the frames over remember all the flying bees will return to the parent colony so give the TBH a good shake of nurse bees from the lower bb as for the queen if it all works you should be able to do this as an AS providing original hive and TBH are reasonably close.

 

[Friar Tuck]

Hey Aberreef, i'm not trying to convert to TBH just add one in, thus making life a bit more interesting, variety is the spice of life!

Trying to get way from having to use foundation in the TBH thus the idea fo getting the BB to draw out the bars, but we will see where we get.

 

[Friar Tuck]

Ok Tom TBH and 2 Nationals in the same apiary.

1 thing the bee came from one source Hivemaker! they are very nice bees indeed very well behaved and the queen is super prolific.

I performed an AS last year giving me 2 hives, they are very close together if i add a 3rd, from the same stock do i have inbreeding issus ?

I dont want bees with webbed feet

 

[MrB]

I dont want bees with webbed feet

I do! then they wont drown in my pond!!!

 

[Tom Bick]

No only the aristocracy have inbreeding issues

 

[Friar Tuck]

Is that why they brought James Hewitt in ?

 

[Mike a]

Hey Aberreef, i'm not trying to convert to TBH just add one in, thus making life a bit more interesting, variety is the spice of life!

Trying to get way from having to use foundation in the TBH thus the idea fo getting the BB to draw out the bars, but we will see where we get.

When I started a TBH last year, I used several methods for starter strips on the bars.

Simple line of melted wax along the centre of the bars, a small strip of foundation and a V shaped wedge coated in wax attached to the bar.

Once they started building the comb they constructed beautiful straight combs along the length of each bar. I didn't need to interfere to correct any of them. The bars are aligned roughly East West and the entrance faces South not that this should ideally matter but some TBH owners believe it makes a difference.

 

[oliver90owner]

Mike a,

The bars are aligned roughly East West

According to one, now well known, author that is the wrong direction! Not natural!

Regards, RAB

 

[Friar Tuck]

Thanks Mike which TB method worked best melted was on string or the small strip of foundation or the V shaped wedge?