Hullo

[JustAddBees]

Hi Everyone,

I'm brand new here. Here's a bit about my bee background;

My dad has kept bees for a number of years and I've always been fascinated by them but I've never really helped at the hives. I did once help catch a swarm, holding the base of the ladder with no protective gear while dad dropped most of the colony over my head (we managed to give it a home in the end!). Anyway, I recently decided that I'd like to keep bees myself, but need to keep it simple and cheap, so have built myself a top bar hive. It's currently waiting patiently in my sub-urban garden with a few drops of lemongrass oil, and dad's going to donate some comb next time he visits his hive. I'm simply hoping to catch a swarm in the top bar box but fear I may be a bit late this season... Here's the hive.

I love to read around a subject and build my knowledge. I've recently read Les Crowthers Top Bar Beekeeping which was interesting and informative. Can anyone recommend a good reference book relevant to the UK?

Finally, aside from the bees... I'm a keen cyclist and work as a Building Surveyor.

Sam

 

[pargyle]

Welcome ...Not too late for a swarm by any means ... the variable weather has kept a lot of the swarms in the hive so you may get one ... Hive looks nice.

Two or three things .. I'd make a stand and get it quite a bit higher - looks as though it's a bit close to the ground to me .. It will be a lot more comfortable to inspect if you can get the top bars at about waist level.

I'd also plug some of the entrance holes up .. they really only need one or two until there's a real flow on - I just use wine bottle corks and plug them as needs be.

Also, a slab of Kingspan Insulation on top of the top bars and under the roof will help them a lot as it will keep the hive nice and snug for the bees. Also .. have you made a couple of 'follower' boards (Hive dividers) as it is useful to be able to contain them in a space that they can manage and just move the divider a bar or two at a time as the colony grows ? Lastly, if you are collecting a swarm you will also need to make some provision to feed them - at least to start with - there are a variety of different feeder styles you can make ... an internet search for top bar feeder will find loads.

Good luck with catching a swarm ... if you don't then perhaps your Dad would give you a frame of eggs and a few pounds of bees to get you started ? Sooner rather than later as the season is well under way now.

Keep us in touch with how it goes.

 

[Bosleeu]

Welcome. If you have not already done so, join your local association and ask to be put on the swarm list, if they know you are looking you may get lucky.

There is also the "chop and crop" technique (G@@gle it) of installing bees on normal frames into a TBH if you can get some from your dad. (Assuming his is on frames).

Good luck hope you get some soon. Nice hive you have built, although like Pargyle says if it was a bit higher your life will be a lot easier.

 

[JustAddBees]

Thanks both.

Yes I've reduced the entrance using wine corks to just two holes, and have a couple of follower boards in there. I've currently got the hive set with 8 bars available.

I've got ideas for a feeder having looked about on the internet, but had read that a swarm shouldn't need feeding?

 

[dexter's shed]

, but had read that a swarm shouldn't need feeding?

swarms fill themselves up with honey for the journey, but your then adding them to a completely empty hive, feeding helps them to draw out comb for the queen to lay in, you can leave them to it, but it'll take a lot longer, really you want them building up fast to have a hope of surviving through winter

 

[JustAddBees]

Thanks Dexter's Shed. I'll bear that in mind and get a feeder prepped when I next get a bit of time

 

[Tremyfro]

Welcome...love your hive...very smart. Hope you soon have bees on it!

 

[JustAddBees]

Thanks It's smart, but I can already see things I would do different if I made another... I'm sure the bees will like it all the same.

 

[BeeJayBee]

It looks good, here's hoping you don't have to wait too long before some bees arrive.

but I can already see things I would do different if I made another...

You might enjoy reading pargyle's most recent thread about his own design long deep hive. It's here http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=33406

 

[pargyle]

It looks good, here's hoping you don't have to wait too long before some bees arrive.


You might enjoy reading pargyle's most recent thread about his own design long deep hive. It's here http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=33406

Yehh ... I reckon by the time I've rebuilt it again I will have thought of another few things I should have done ...my middle names should be 'Work in Progress' !

You might also enjoy the new thread on my Hive stands which are now NEAR PERFECT !!! That's a first ... for me