Top Bar Hive Build.....

[FarmerD]

They will just be the n there temporarily until the comb gets attached. It's still experimental so I don't know all the answers yet, but I'm leaving the bar width as is

 

[FarmerD]

Don't know yet. We used to zip tie those clamshell hair clips to the bars to hold the comb, but it never worked as well as advertised. I'll just have to wait and see if this works

 

[Beekissed]

I'm just imagining trying to withdraw those wire points across the entire width and causing too much weakness in the top of the comb. But, I could see using smaller sections of the wire at three points while letting them attach their comb at the empty sections and this providing enough stability that it wouldn't break the entire thing off when withdrawing the spikes. Just thinking out loud here and pondering. I LOVE this idea, though, and will definitely be trying it out if I get back into bees any time soon.

 

[FarmerD]

should just be a couple dozen small holes in the wax..... dont think itll be a problem. unless, that is, the comb over the holder before i can get it out

 

[FarmerD]

That comb hanger idea charms me because one of the reasons some folks don't like the TBHs is because the bees have to use so much time and energy constructing new comb on the bars but if one could find a way of uncapping that comb, removing the honey and rehanging the comb, that would be a neat thing.

thats a tall order and IMHO negates some of the benefits of the TBH. Bees should be building new comb every year. only small amounts of honey should be harvested. if extracted honey and reusing comb is your goal, maybe a horizontal lang would be a better option.

 

[FarmerD]

Final assembly pics.....

All hives have entrances drilled on both sides and 2 dividers so we can use the either as full 4' ers or 2 2' hives

 

[FarmerD]

Moving some deadout equipment.....

I'm changing the way we have our bees organized, so Im gathering all unoccupied equipment together for a new apiary. More pics to come...,.

 

[FarmerD]

we are planning a large part of our farm as bee forage. there will be many, many flowering perennials worked into our design that in theory will provide nearly continuous nectar flow all season long. in addition, i want to incorporate multi-species cover crop mixes as a soil building measure. this will include large areas of mixed prairie with sunflowers, buckwheat, clover, etc... we already have several good honey crops native on the farm like sweet bay, blackberry, and tupelo


managed to get half a dozen more hive assembled and staged..... now if the weather would clear up, i could get the apiary set up!

 

[FarmerD]

well i baited up some of the empty equipment to try and catch some swarms while the hives are sitting idle waiting on the apiary to be cleared. while i was out working this weekend, despite the cold, there was some interest! should be going out today to work, so hopefully ill have some good news and free bees to report!

 

[FarmerD]

I started with lemongrass oil, but also have some swarm commander in there too. Definitely have some interest but no one has moved in yet