My bees in my top bar hive

[nosmoking]

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/video.php?do=viewdetails&videoid=120

 

[Brosville]

looking good! - how long did it take for them to build that splendid comb?

 

[nosmoking]

looking good! - how long did it take for them to build that splendid comb?

About 4 weeks brosville. There's 2 of the original combs in there that they came on. There was 4 in total but I just chopped and cropped 2 and let them rob the rest back into the tbh.

 

[topbar]

I love it. If you see me in your garden with a sac barrow and a bee out fit don't mind me, just passing through. hehe

 

[nosmoking]

I love it. If you see me in your garden with a sac barrow and a bee out fit don't mind me, just passing through. hehe

I normally shoot looters on sight or set the missus on them

 

[rog]

Lots of waggle dances going on around 1.45 onwards.

Nice hive I am going to put the entrances on theends on my new one.

 

[nosmoking]

Lots of waggle dances going on around 1.45 onwards.

Nice hive I am going to put the entrances on theends on my new one.

Thanks Rog. I did notice that. Nice moves, lol.

 

[Beeline]

Slightly off topic but to do with TBHs.

My brother has been given an Africanised version of the TBH, called a Jackson Hive. Unlike the TBH it's suspended off the ground to avoid problems faced by African beeks e.g. honeybadgers, termites etc.

Anyway I was wanting to buy him a few things and besides the standard items: smoker, hive tool, brush etc., is there anything (a tool) that is particularly useful when working with a TBH. Thought I would also buy him "The Barefoot Beekeeper" - any views?

I'd appreciate the help. Thanks.

BL

 

[susbees]

A smoker isn't necessary with tbh. They are so much happier with being mostly closed in during inspections. A water spray bottle with a fine mist has it's uses. And a couple of smooth cotton tea towels

A good quality hive tool, reasonably long to clean the adhesions to and on the sides of the hive is the best thing. Our bees are in a fenced off area with plenty long grass and stuff so we use that instead of a bee brush.

And maybe a feeder...but that depends on how deep the roof is above the bars as to which sort is best.

 

[Brosville]

Definitely get him the book (which is excellent), apart from that you actually don't need much at all in the way of "equipment" - most of what you use can be looted from your kitchen (a long serrated knife is fine to deal with any comb adhesions) - a stubby screwdriver is fine as a "hive tool".........

 

[itma]

My brother has been given an Africanised version of the TBH, called a Jackson Hive. Unlike the TBH it's suspended off the ground to avoid problems faced by African beeks e.g. honeybadgers, termites etc.

Unless he has those problems, wouldn't it make things easier for all concerned if it was stable, rather than swinging around in the breeze?
Making some legs for it would seem like a priority.

Anyway I was wanting to buy him a few things and besides the standard items: smoker, hive tool, brush etc., is there anything (a tool) that is particularly useful when working with a TBH. ...

A particularly long knife for wild/brace comb surgery?
He's also going to need a pretty small quantity of foundation for starter strips, a feeder (and some means of mounting it in his hive) ...
Is he wanting any woodworking kit?

 

[Beeline]

Thanks all for your input. So a long hive tool is a must...and not much else.

ITMA - He lives in South Africa so he may well adopt the suspended method.

He's pretty handy with the tools and probably has a basic collection of tools, unless there is something he definately needs to get you can recommend?

Out of interest how does one feed in a TBH?

BL

 

[The Cumbrian]

Out of interest how does one feed in a TBH?

BL

I am very new to TBH but I have made myself a feeder which works like this.

A 5L plastic container which I stand on 2 pieces of wood across above the mesh floor. Then I took some plastic mesh (actually the stuff children use to learn cross stitch) then I stapled some pieces of dowel underneath to make it float. To be on the safe side I tested it with water and the equivalent weight of a few hundred bees on it. (can't remember what weight a bee is but I looked it up on the internet) and worked on the assumption that as syrup was more dense than water this would be OK. So far it has worked beautifully.

I did see one on the internet that was just a small plastic container with a few bits of cork floating in it.

 

[Beeline]

OK!! so they are fed within the hive box and not topside. I was trying to figure out how one would place a rapid feeder over the frames - thought perhaps one or two were displaced to expose feeder.

BL

 

[nosmoking]

For feeding I use two 1 litre containers (99p from the ........ 99p shop) and stand them on cross members just above the mesh floor. I put about 6 corks in each of them to help stop them drowning. It seems to work for me. I stood and watched them last week and the little buggers didn't even bother standing on the corks. Just climbed down the sides. Maybee I'll rough the sides up a bit with sandpaper to give them some extra grip. The other thing I found helpful was the top bar stand that is on Phil Chandlers site. I made mine in about 30 minutes with some coat hanger wire and some odd pieces of wood. Great for inspecting and taking photo's.