# installing swarm in my first TBH



## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)

Enjoy your top bar hive and new swarm. I got a swarm 6-9-2010 and they are busy building up. Fastest builders so far as far as initial startup. I contribute this do to the swarm being very large and the temperatures are much warmer than in April.

I am also pleased that I have a different color of honey bee. I started out with Italians this year and believe my swarm is Carniolan.


----------



## earthchild (Jun 30, 2009)

Thanks Findlaybee. I'm happy to hear your bees are doing so well. These bees look like Italians, but the swarm I picked up about a month ago look to me like Carniolans and I am very pleased with how they're building up. 

I plan on starting them out with about 8 top bars. Do you think there is anything else I should do? I don't see how this would be any different then putting bees in a Langstroth (as far as installing goes.) I've read a few posts about bees being more likely to abscond in a TBH. I'm not sure how true this is as I have no experience with TBH's thus far.


----------



## Aram (May 9, 2006)

Check in a couple of days to make sure the comb is in line.


----------



## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)

I had problems with the comb the swarm started to build. What they did was start in the back corner and started to build out from the corner diagonally. I cut this comb out and installed some new foundation starter strips and they did a good job building straight the second time around.


----------



## Maine_Beekeeper (Mar 19, 2006)

Feed feed feed. Remember your swarm is nearly starving. 
Feeding will allow them to build comb.


----------



## FindlayBee (Aug 2, 2009)

The swarm I installed on 6-9-2010 now has 10 bars with full comb drawn with brood, pollen, and honey. I even have some capped honey on the top of the brood area. There is one completely filled out comb of only honey that is starting to be capped over the older cells. There is an additional 4 bars which have comb in various stages of construction. I added 4 more bars to allow them to expand this week. Queen is laying a very good pattern.

I wish I had checked the weight on this swarm. It was much larger than I first thought. Had to be over 5 pounds of bees in it. Currently not feeding them at all.

I think I lucked out with my first swarm.

Good luck with yours. If yours does as well as mine is, you will be very pleased.


----------

