# Why?



## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

My reason was that it is a low cost way to get into beekeeping - I didn't know for sure I was going to like it. The bees chose to start the comb about 10 inches from the front of the four foot hive. Adrian


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Where are they now? The brood combs that is. R they centered? To one end? Have you positioned them or let them do as they will?


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

> the rationale of why tbhs came into existence in the first place.


I'm sure you are already aware that the top bar hive was not 'invented' in modern times as it dates back to early greek/roman and even egyptian hives using sticks and wooden pieces over the tops of various containers.

Perhaps the better question of why the renewed interest of such an old method?

Because like you said about hippies wanting to get back to the land and away from 'modern' city ways, many people don't think that newer automatically means better.

I will say my own reasons are:

1) It is much less expensive to build a tbh over a lang

2) it is easier for me to work a tbh than a framed hive as I have big hands and fingers, making it very difficult to grab the frames in a full hive box, but on a tbh, Iam able to much easier handle the top bars from the outside ends, agitating the comb much less and more smoothly.

3) I am of the opinion the bees are benefiting from having fresh drawn comb which is cycled out of the hive more frequently thus removing and reducing possible harmful contaminant buildup in said combs over time.

4) I get the feeling I have a better interaction with the bees in a tbh, could just be me, but I think the tendency to move slower and take more time with each comb to prevent comb damage to that which is newly built and similar aspects of these types of hives enables one to take a less 'commodity' perspective toward the bees and affords them a bit more respect. again, might just be me.

5) and perhaps more importantly..because I can. I will run the type of hives I want to run much as the next guy can do the same. As long as I am helping bees to stay alive, healthy and in abundance, Then I consider it a successful hive regardless of how old the method is.

There you have it. enjoy the bees.

Big Bear


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Great explanation BBO. Thanks. I'm seeing a different way of interacting w/ the bees here. Dare I say a more Zen type of beekeeping. A more enjoyment/bee beneficial way, perhaps. I love the idea. I may be seeing a cpl of TBHs in my future.

Yes, I am aware of all sorts of ancient methods of, shall we say, low tech methods of beekeeping and beehives. When we start seeing beekeepers climbing the face of Clintch Mtn on ropes to harvest honey from cliff dwelling honeybees, well, that's definitely where I will draw the line.


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

> Dare I say a more Zen type of beekeeping.


That would bee a very good way of looking at it in my opinion.

The way I look at it, I don't do things to be miserable. if whatever it is I am doing is causing more stress or "trouble" than enjoyment and feeling success then something is not right and it's time to head back to the drawing board.

To me, this applies to working with honey bees as well.

Big Bear


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

I think that your interaction with bees is very much dictated by the type of hive and equipment you use. I am using tbh's at the moment. When I visited my Dad, his are in a lang.

I have limited experience, but I can say that I find the tbh to require a slower, more careful process. There is less imposed structure, which is both positive and negative depending on how you look at it, and what your personal desires or tendencies are. It's nice to see combs, hanging there, completely shaped by the bees - but they are more delicate. It's nice that the top bar structure maintains temperature and limits the number of bees exposed at a given time - but it's a slow process to close up the hive and squeeze those bars together without killing a bunch of bees. Your environment will also play into what works best for you.

I don't see the tbh as any 'threat' to the Lang. I also think its very unlikely that many people would do large-scale commercial beekeeping with top bars in North America. I don't think it's inherently more 'natural', especially if you're going foundationless in your lang. I think its just another way to do things.

Give it a shot and see if it works for you.

Adam


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## mrspock (Feb 1, 2010)

bigbearomaha said:


> 3) I am of the opinion the bees are benefiting from having fresh drawn comb which is cycled out of the hive more frequently thus removing and reducing possible harmful contaminant buildup in said combs over time.
> 
> 4) I get the feeling I have a better interaction with the bees in a tbh, could just be me, but I think the tendency to move slower and take more time with each comb to prevent comb damage to that which is newly built and similar aspects of these types of hives enables one to take a less 'commodity' perspective toward the bees and affords them a bit more respect. again, might just be me.
> 
> 5) and perhaps more importantly..because I can. I will run the type of hives I want to run much as the next guy can do the same. As long as I am helping bees to stay alive, healthy and in abundance, Then I consider it a successful hive regardless of how old the method is.



Points 3 and 4: Can be done in lang as well.


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## sebee (Jul 19, 2009)

I have one TBH which I built last winter to see what all the hype is about. I enjoy working it, but its not its not as efficient time-wise for me, but that may be because Im used to langs. 

I like it because with the design I have, no bees ever get crushed or trapped. They seem more relaxed, I have never been stung working this hive. And no bending or lifting sure makes it more enjoyable on a hot day (my tbh has legs). 

But this will be my first winter with it, so I guess that will be the true test.


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

> Points 3 and 4: Can be done in lang as well.


maybe they can be, but from my interacting with most lang users, they aren't. especially point 4 seeing a frame makes people think of it as more stable whereas no frame at all , you don't get that false feeling of security.

Big Bear


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

sebee said:


> I have one TBH which I built last winter...I like it because with the design I have, no bees ever get crushed or trapped. ...


Hey Sebee,

What about your design keeps bees from getting crushed or trapped?

Adam


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## Maine_Beekeeper (Mar 19, 2006)

I keep top bar hives because we have a vendor here in Maine selling them as a "more natural, healthier" way of keeping bees. 
see here: http://www.goldstarhoneybees.com/

As the "open minded" master beekeeper here in Maine, I feel it is my responsibility to keep up with what is available and interesting to the beekeepers in my area. So I am giving the TBH a try for the second year, this year I have three. 

(last year I had one and they died of starvation in January with 70+ pounds of honey in the colony that they couldn't access. In the same yard I had a 5 frame medium nuc successfully winter...)

I also have a number of 8 frame medium hives including several that I am running foundationless and that is my favorite so far for the hobbyist who is willing to go without foundation. 8 frame medium foundationless is great fun and lets the bees do what they want, and the bees do great. 8 Frame hives 4 high winter beautifully here in Maine. 

Still keeping an open mind, I have to admit when I was dating my husband (20 years ago) he called me the "hippie chick"

all comes around. 
Best to you and your bees, 
-E.


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## Wolfie (May 25, 2010)

I'll throw in the perspective of a complete newb. 

I've been moderately interested in beekeeping over the last couple of years. I've been reading up on it and really wanted to give it a try but I was hesitant to lay out the cash to buy a lang setup. In particular I was afraid of laying out a lot of money only to discover that I hated beekeeping.

Then, in my online research, I discovered the tbh. I had all the lumber necessary to build it, and it's simple design was something that even I could build. 

My primary reason for trying my hand at beekeeping is curiosity. Second is the warm fuzzy feeling I get from helping a species that is beneficial to our environment and undergoing a serious decline. Productivity is of minimal concern to me. 

Now that I'm up and running, and have discovered that I enjoy keeping bees, I will likely try a couple of langs for the sake of comparison next year.

All that said, I can see that if one were to keep bees on anything much larger than hobby scale, langs would make more sense.


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## Aram (May 9, 2006)

_"... the TBH was being used to transition the beekeepers there from traditional basket like long hives, which couldn't be inspected for disease, to modern hives w/ frames..."_
The way I heard it was that TBHs were an alternative to expensive lang hives for which the locals did not have the materials or the infrastructure so they'd be forever dependent on expensive shipments from western Europe. I have a feeling that inspecting bugs for diseases is low on the priority list when you don't have a hospital for your children.

_...So, my question is: Why do you want to use TBHs? What are you getting from them? What is the allure? I am curious about this._
That's just it: curiosity. And, for me, that whole hippie thing: start-up price, esthetics, idealism, against the main stream. (reinventing the wheel?!?)  Give it a try, you'll either love it or hate it. With your experience in beekeeping, I'm sure you'll see faster and a lot more than I do. 

_...Where in your tbh do you start your col? Middle? End?..._
I've done both. I think if you start them in the middle they build both directions right off the bat. When winter comes the cluster stays sort of in the middle of the hive and starts moving one direction or another. You have to move the bars of honey to the far end of the cluster. 
If you start them at one end of the hive, they tend to build out from there but they keep the brood nest closer to the end they started from. Maybe 2 or 3 bars of stores at that end. That's for the first year. Easier to manage but they build slower, I think.


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## sebee (Jul 19, 2009)

Adam Foster Collins said:


> What about your design keeps bees from getting crushed or trapped?


First I should clarify that bees can still get crushed between the bars. Though I am careful to avoid this, which may be one of the reasons it takes longer for me to work than a lang. 

But what I did, which may not be unique or new, is to put a rim around the bars, this rim leaves about a quarter inch space between the end of the bars and the beginning of the rim (it is attached to the hive on the ends). Also the top has spacers in each corner raising it off the bars by about 1/4 inch. So I never have to worry about bees coming out or walking around on top of the top bars, I can close it up when I am done and the bees are free to leave as they please. 

Here are some photos:
http://www.hipbeehoney.com/photos.html

You can see the spacers in the corners of the inside of the lid, and in the picture with the feeder you can see the gap between the bars and the outside rim. Again, for all I know this may be common practice, but I have never heard of it before and it has worked well for me.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Aram said:


> The way I heard it was that TBHs were an alternative to expensive lang hives for which the locals did not have the materials...
> 
> And, for me, that whole hippie thing: start-up price, esthetics, idealism, against the main stream. (reinventing the wheel?!?)  Give it a try, you'll either love it or hate it. With your experience in beekeeping, I'm sure you'll see faster and a lot more than I do.


That's what I thought that I knew to be the reason why also, and maybe in part it was. But I heard the perspective of at least one of the people who had boots on the ground in the 1980s, in Tansania, in the Peace Corp, whne the project was being implemented. I don't think he would mind my saying that his name is Mike Griggs of NY. President(I believe) of the Finger Lakes Beekeepers Association.

Oh, yeah, I lived through the 60s and 70s and that's probably why I got distracted and forgot to finish replying to the "whole hippy thing" thing.  I'm 57. I didn't completely out grow the movement, just matured somewhat.

Peace,love and understanding. Man. 

Or should I jump back into the present and say "Been there, done that."?


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## brac (Sep 30, 2009)

I was told by a TBH keeping hippy, that it was better for the bees than a lang. Her primary reason was because she believes that foundation is full of chemicals. This she says make my lang bees unhealthy. Her TB bees only ever have clean wax. Only problem I see is wintering, over 90% of her healthy bees are dead (about 10%made it through the winter) while my unhealthy bees living in an un-natural box on contaminated wax are all doing great.

So would you rather be healthy or alive?


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Well, she isn't completely wrong in her opinion. There will be less pesticide residue in her comb, because it is young. But Dr. Maryann Fraser of Penn State told us last thursday that even if one starts out w/ virgin wax, eventually it too will become contaminated w/ pesticides that the bees encounter and collect in effect from the environment and there isn't anywhere where you can go that this isn't true.

Just thought you'd like to know. Happy beekeeping.


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## Lauren (Jun 10, 2010)

I had an unsuccessful try transitioning from a nuc to my TBH. I put them in a lang to let them get ready for winter. I feel good about that decision but can't wait to try my TBH again next year. 

I felt much more at ease and in tune with the bees when I was working the TBH. No stacking/un-stacking confusion for the bees. No staring into an entire box of bees who are wondering why I am there.  Also, it was very easy to gently lift the bars compared to trying to get a grip on a frame with my clumsy fingers. "Zen" is a good way to put it. That is how it felt. 

I also like the idea of them drawing their own comb, the size and way they want it. Of course that can be done with foundationless and Warre too.

I think that I would like to have one hive of Lang. Warre and TBH types just so I can learn and compare. (Well, maybe two of each would be better  )


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## Daddy'sBees (Jul 1, 2010)

When KTBH has an opening on one end, they will work towards the other end. Putting honey in last of those newer combs they've built away from the brood. They are all screened on the bottoms that I leave open all year(I live in TX).

As far as working time goes, there is no way the KTBH is slower to work than say an equal set-up in a lang. Look at 2 brood boxes and a super. Start the clock. By the time, and physical effort, that you've got the lower brood open to inspect, I'm nearing the end of my KTBH inspection! And, I don't ever have to lift the weights that langs make you lift!!! Proper top bar management is not hard to learn. I rarely smash a bee! Some learned technique is in order, not to be discussed here, to handle the bars. I prefer top bars with a T design as it help keep the comb in place. And, the whole **** hive isn't looking at me when I open the top of the hive. It keeps the bees more docile, less upsetting on inspections. 

There are two main weaknesses to TBH. They are not designed to use an extractor for harvesting honey. They are not suitable for transporting to and from pollination fields. They cost less and are EASIER to work the bees!!!

I don't have to store, clean, haul, repair any equipment or frames!!! The KTBH design lets me cheaply build them for relocating swarms and cut-outs. I couldn't afford the expense, etc., to SAVE the bees if I used langs.


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

Daddy'sBees said:


> As far as working time goes, there is no way the KTBH is slower to work than say an equal set-up in a lang. Look at 2 brood boxes and a super. Start the clock. By the time, and physical effort, that you've got the lower brood open to inspect, I'm nearing the end of my KTBH inspection!...They cost less and are EASIER to work the bees!!!


I'd argue this point. I agree that lifting is a pain, but the spaces between frames in a lang make putting it back together faster than a tbh with none. If the bees are really active and coming up as you open the tbh, it can be a slow process to get them to go down and get bars back together without squishing bees. Add a hot sun to the mix and it can be a test of your patience.

Also, it's a lot easier to just pull one or two frames in the middle of a lang box, where as tbh's can be tricky in the middle if there's a lot of attachment on a heavy comb. So it's easier to just look at a few frames throughout - doing that in a top bar is very difficult, as the bars usually need to be shifted over to make a space big enough to get a comb out. This means you've got to move a lot of bars to get at one in the middle.

I love the ktbh. they allow a person to get busy - right now without spending a ton of money. They allow for a lot of experimentation design and invention. They are really minimal. 

But I don't see using tbh's as so easy, and it is no more natural than a foundationless lang. There is far less information and support available to a tbh beekeeper, and things like transitioning from a lang nuc to a tbh present a steep learning curve for the beginner.

I'm glad I have tbh's because I'm really into bees and working with them. Choosing tbh's has made me learn a lot in a short time. But I think the marketing rhetoric about how natural and earth-friendly tbh's are is misleading. And it's pitting lang users against tbh's as the whole stance suggests that lang beeks are doing something 'wrong'. All forms of beekeeping involve manipulation of the nest, and taking the fruits of the bees' labor - and bees are never going to like that.

I think it's better to look at bees and beekeeping as one holistic thing, and then apply our effort to improving it all. Each method has its benefits, and its detractors.

Adam


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## earthchild (Jun 30, 2009)

As many of us know, keeping bees can be expensive at times. I'm not really set up to build my own hive bodies, supers, or frames, so I've had to order equipment over the last two years since I started beekeeping. The cost really adds up and, since I'm a poor college student , I can't afford to continue buying new equipment.

Keeping bees in a TBH is more affordable for me and I like that I can build EVERYTHING I need for these hives.

Call me crazy, but I like to lay underneath my TBH and watch the bees do their thing. I have a screened bottom, so I'm able to see plenty of action.

This is my third year keeping bees and my first TBH. I built it with center entrances and this is where the bees situated the brood nest (8 frames). There are about 17 bars in there at the moment.

I'm still learning.


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

> I think it's better to look at bees and beekeeping as one holistic thing, and then apply our effort to improving it all. Each method has its benefits, and its detractors.


That's an important point, one of which I alluded to in my last point in my main post in this thread.

Far too much is made into a competition between tbh's and langs by both tbh zealots and by the lang zealots as well.

it's a hive people. reasons to like a tbh are not necessarily exclusive to that type of hive, but an important factor none-the-less.

it boils down to does the equipment/hive you are using make you a better beekeeper? does it help you to keep bees in a safe place, a place that helps bees grow healthy? Does it help you to be more calm and in control thereby affecting your interaction with the bees in a positive way?

If so then it's a good hive for you.

Who cares what the next guy thinks or if they like it?

Not me, that's for sure.

I think tbh's help me be a better beekeeper. As long as it works for me, that's good enough.

Big Bear


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## earthchild (Jun 30, 2009)

Well said Adam and Bigbearomaha. :applause:


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## Tomas (Jun 10, 2005)

I think the two big reasons for me using top bar hives is that they are inexpensive and they help me control my Africanized bees somewhat better.

The cost is a big factor. I can make six or seven of these for what it would cost me to buy a four-box Langstroth setup. I don´t need an extractor--five gallon pails work fine for straining and whatever else. I also don’t need foundation—which is expensive here. That new four-box Langstroth setup would cost the average Honduran about a month’s worth of wages, not including the bees.

And if I would happen to get robbed or vandalized, my loss in equipment or equipment repairs is much less. This has happened to me several times and it’s my biggest worry in fact with beekeeping here. I really, really don’t like looking at broken frames strewn all over the ground and then thinking about all the now-lost work I went through to nail and glue them together, install the wire and the foundation and then get them drawn out.

I think I can keep my Africanized bees under control a bit more (although at times they still make me close up everything and leave early.) I can just keep a small space open when working the bees—two or three bars worth. A lot of the bees tend to run down to the opposite end which I won´t touch. Less bees seem to get into the air.

And although some people commented about having to go a bit slower when revising a tbh, that is a good thing with Africanized bees. You need to go slow anyways so they don´t get too riled up. I couldn´t imagine revising my Africanized bees the way we did when I was working with some commercial beekeepers in Wisconsin—get in and out of the yard as fast as you can and don´t worry about banging the boxes around a little bit.

What I didn´t like about Langstroth hives for here (and I have had a good bit of experience using them in Honduras) was how open they would be if I had to remove a box and go downstairs for some reason. Usually it really made it hard to keep the bees calm, especially if the hive was nice and strong like you want them for honey production. At times I didn’t even want to touch the brood chambers for that very reason. 

Africanized bee keeping is sometimes done with a more hands-off type of management—since they can be so ornery. Why should I spend a lot of money on brood boxes with frames if I’m not really going to do a lot of brood management with them?

I do admit that Langstroth hives are nice for commercial beekeeping. I definitely see an advantage to being able to use an extractor and reuse the comb. That’s why I´m beginning to super more of my hives with frames. I can have this commercial aspect to it while still having a cheap effective box for the brood. The brood down below shouldn´t be a disturbed as much as if I was using all Langstroth equipment. Also, migratory beekeeping isn´t in my plans right now anyways. 

The down side to supering is having to store these boxes of comb. Wax moths are a big problem down here. If the bees can’t cover all those unused combs, moths will get in there and start problems. In a tbh you harvest all the extra combs with honey and leave them at a size for the dearth in which they can effectively protect the remaining combs. 

Top bar hives are also good for my less accessible yards where I don´t want to take off full supers, extract them back home, and later go back to put on the now-empty one. When I go to harvest I just need to take empty buckets into the apiary and then take out full ones. They are left with space to continue producing honey and until I am ready to harvest them again.

Not having to bend over is also a big bonus. Having the box and the bees at waist level definitely make beekeeping more enjoyable. I don’t like to also have a sore back at the end of the day since I usually already will have heat exhaustion, dehydration and multiple stings (usually through my veil and into the back of my neck).

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Tom


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## imcurtis (Feb 21, 2010)

Interesting thread. I would like to add my opinions but with respect to time I will refer y'all to my blog www.texasbeekeeper.blogspot.com I have posted my answers to this and other concerns there.

Here is a quick hit summary; these are in random order as the come to mind
benefits
1) Cheaper to build and harvest with less complicated equipment.
2) Bees are able to build and maintain a more natural hive. Granted we force them to build straight comb which is probably not so natural.
3) Bees seem better able to fend off parasites and keep a cleaner hive without human or chemical help.
4) Hot bees or AHB are easier to maintain.
5) Calm or Euro bees can often be worked without protective gear.
6) Are better suited to keep ground predators like skunks or other varmint out.
7) New comb is drawn every year for honey production:
a) Allows bees to decide comb size and they can adjust as they feel the need.
b) Genetic consistency between honey and comb.
c) Environmental contaminants are not carried along from year to year.
8) Storage space of over winter equipment is less.
9) Less or no heavy lifting is needed.
10) Inspections are less disruptive to colony as a whole.
11) Comb or chunk honey is more abundant and more wax is collected each year.

Not so goods
1) Hives are usually bigger and harder to transport.
2) Working a hive is slower and often spend more time in the hive during inspections, while still being less disruptive.
3) Cross combing is or can be an issue.
4) Comb collapse can be an issue.
5) Ventilation can be an issue allowing mold to grow on top of the topbars.
6) Less support from other beekeepers. Just mention that you have a TBH and the conversation usually comes to a close or flames come on.
7) Can be more labor intensive, or more interaction is needed to keep a hive on track. Especially, in the first year of a new hive.
9) Not many items can be purchased, this is changing every year as more capitalists see the potential.
10) Honey volume can be less per hive and often supering is not an option.
11) Old timers call them "swarm machines" for good reason. If not designed or managed properly they will throw more swarms than Langs. Granted this is or can be a problem with any design.

Many of these pros and cons can be addressed with beekeeper behavior. Most of the pros can also be addressed in Lang or other TBH designs like Warre. These are just my opinions.

 Peace out!


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## crazy hivan (Aug 17, 2006)

I think as a hobbiest maximum honey production isn't my goal. I find bees facinating and just enjoy working with them. Kind of strange no? But anyway a top bar/horizontal hive is just one more way to learn and observe. So that being the case I wouldn't say a TB is any better or worse than a lang. If maximum honey production and the management of many hives is your primary goal then a lang probally would suit most better.


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## bigbearomaha (Sep 3, 2009)

beeclass.com

outdoorplace.org

Those are a couple of sources. Google is your friend.

Most of the egyptian hives found were clay cylanders. There were greek hives found that were essentially like the baskets with sticks on top, like top bars.

Often, sticks were inserted into the tops of skeps for the bees to draw comb on, again, like a fixed bar.

The history of beehives is a varied an interesting one and only in the past hundred years or so of beekeeping have the langs and similar hives been around.


Big Bear


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## bee_wrangler (Jan 21, 2007)

Cost, i have a top bar swarm trap/ bait hive in every bee yard i have. I can leave them to catch swarms and not worry about money just sitting there unused. I usually take a bit if brood comb from a lang hive and place it in the bait hive. Also i place a phermone lure in the hive and spray Honey be healthy on all interior walls.

Dan


PS: i have about a 30% occupancy by august in these bait hives.


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## beebiker (May 5, 2009)

cost for me as well ( i am a wyoming wrangler as well ) i put both a pencil to it as well as my stop watch and using easly ( pretty much junk ) obtainable material i can throw a complete tbh with bars and starter strips and an observation window together in 4 hrs for the unheard of price of 24.00 for material, but if i add a screened bottom board and a hinged cover for ventilation the time is 4.5 hrs and the price comes up to 27.00 for material, ( yea i am a cheapskate :doh of coarse your milage will vary depending on your wood shop, skills and lumber source.

making a tanz tbh seems to work well for me as the comb built in it is almost the identical size as a deep frame so honey production seems to be on the same order as my Langstroth hive plus i have the benefit being able to transfer brood back and forth easly, and there is a lot less bending over.
plus if you really want to get creative you can add a medium full sizes "upper" for even extra room if needed for honey storage., since you wont be lifting the whole medium off during harvest in the fall anyway ( i usually harvest a bar at a time) and the cost for building this is probably in the order of around 10.00 to 12.00. a tbh will pay for it's self pretty quickly if given a chance.


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## Stone (Jun 6, 2009)

Really great discussion, here! 

I started my 2 TBHs last year. Got 4 more nucs this year. At this time, I have three out of six left. Not sure of all the reasons why. I thought I did my homework, but stuff happens. Substitute "stuff" for any word you like.

I wanted to go with TBHs for all of the reasons already expressed, and I pretty much agree with what has been said. The more "natural" route is what attracted and appealed to me. Retaining "nest scent", climate, and temperature seemed logical in a discussion of keeping pests at bay. 

There also has been much discussion about bees being able to choose to build the cell size they wanted in TBHs and smaller cells were important in combating varroa. But all the research that I know of completely contradicts this and says that small cell has absolutely no impact on varroa. 

Anyway, after all I went through this season, I'm converting my entire yard to Langstroths. In MY experience, the only honey my bees have produced is enough to put on my toast. I'm not in this for profit; I love bees and I like honey and I want some for my friends and family. It's ridiculous, how little honey is produced in TBHS. Again, this is MY experience and you all who have had success with TBHs - God bless you. But I'm done with them.

I have ALL my TBHs for sale. The were custom made and I need the funds to buy my Lang equipment. You can see the details here:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=245281

All the best. I REALLY mean it.


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## beepriddy (Jan 5, 2010)

Hi Mark,

Getting into my 2nd year as a beek. When I first got interested, I didn't know anyone who keeps bees nearby or anything, so started from scratch on research. I ended up with langs ultimately, because that is how most people do it, and if I needed help it woudl be easier for someone to help me. 

However, I did have a couple of nice top bars built before I actully got bees and I'm thinking about setting them up just to see what it's like, I still find an attraction to them and the simplicity.

Anyway, thougth I'd give out a couple of sites that has some pretty good info about TBHs if you're interested, one even has downloadable plans so you can build your own.

www.backyardhive.com and www.beeguardian.org

~Linda~


Think About it ......

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you
Jesus Christ for your sins
The American Soldier for your freedom


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

beepriddy said:


> Think About it ......
> 
> Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you
> Jesus Christ for your sins
> The American Soldier for your freedom


Mmm, I wish they wouldn't, thank you. I'll do my own dying.

But that's another Forum entirely. Tailgater.


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