Another Newbee

[Peterxix]

Hi I am a complite Novice, and am looking for any INFO on starting up in Beekeeping, I am just finished making a Top Bar hive but I have not put the Enterence in yet, I have read that much info on Side or end, my head is in a Swam"ha ha"?, I have contacted my Local Bee keepers group, But there next meeting is at the end of November. I have got a chance of a Bee hive with Bees at the weeekend, but I have not a clue what to do, get them or wait untill next spring, Waiting for any Comments, Peter

 

[enrico]

Wow.....welcome. I wouldn't be moving bees from one hive to another at this time of the year. Accept the new hive, move it on a warm day. Put it where you intend your tbh to go and leave it until late spring! IMHO
Go to meetings, try and find a local beekeeper and visit and help them and let them guide you. Best wishes
E

 

[ratcatcher]

I'd say add the entrance to the end, or a side at the end, sometimes adding it in the middle of a side confuses the bees as to what direction to go once inside for building comb/honey/brood.

if your being given a hive, can you not leave the bees in situ, giving that hive back to the owner next year, you'd be expecting alot for them to survive, is it a commercial or national hive they are in at the moment, if so, then you would need to do a crop and chop, not advisable at this time of year

heres a clip of a periscope entrance on my top bar, much better than simply drilling holes, gives better defense against wasps

http://youtu.be/juXbSNpi7wU

you'll notice my top bar hives are square, I have made them so they accept 2 x national frames, meaning no need to do crop and chops, and easier to transfer eggs/brood if needed
http://youtu.be/oe0pCAdCWxo

lastly, transferring bees on national frames in a nuc, into my top bar hive
http://youtu.be/iz2UDxwydQg

 

[Luminos]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Peterxix]

Tbh

I'd say add the entrance to the end, or a side at the end, sometimes adding it in the middle of a side confuses the bees as to what direction to go once inside for building comb/honey/brood.

if your being given a hive, can you not leave the bees in situ, giving that hive back to the owner next year, you'd be expecting alot for them to survive, is it a commercial or national hive they are in at the moment, if so, then you would need to do a crop and chop, not advisable at this time of year

heres a clip of a periscope entrance on my top bar, much better than simply drilling holes, gives better defense against wasps

http://youtu.be/juXbSNpi7wU

you'll notice my top bar hives are square, I have made them so they accept 2 x national frames, meaning no need to do crop and chops, and easier to transfer eggs/brood if needed
http://youtu.be/oe0pCAdCWxo

lastly, transferring bees on national frames in a nuc, into my top bar hive
http://youtu.be/iz2UDxwydQg

Hi thanks for the info, It is a National Hive that I have chance of getting I intend putting the hive and bees and leaving them, as they are not transferring then into my new TBH, until next year is that the right thing to do Peter

 

[enrico]

Yes!

 

[gobbyguy]

Welcome fellow newbie. Jealous you got hive and bees already

 

[Brosville]

As a kenyan TBH user, there is not a jot of a problem with the central holes - as in all beekeeping there are always 15 ways of doing everything - the free plans available feature the central holes so I'd suggest going with that, and reinventing the wheel when you've got more experience.

I'd concur with the idea of taking the national and bees, and leaving them in situ.........it may pay to keep them as they are, and go for a swarm to populate the TBH next year