# horizontal lang



## Sovek (Apr 27, 2014)

Anthony_55 said:


> does anybody have experience with a horizontal lang?


Yes. Anything you want to know? I've looked up just about youtube video I can find about them and have 2 horizontal langs going now. I'm not an expert but I have experience with them.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

Yes, I like them.....Lot better than a top bar hive or Kenya...JMO


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## Anthony_55 (Jun 18, 2015)

do you use a queen excluder?


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

when--where?~~~~~~I am sorry, I woke up late-my coffee pot leaked and my pills hasn't started to work yet-how ever--On my long boxes i did away with the screen bottom {they didn't need that much air} I put entry on both ends...If you put the queen on one end she will start laying there and work. make sure you have at less 2 empty frames from the end board { you will move them as they are filled out} The queen will take only the room she needs or the worker will give her<>My 4 ft long box are about the size of 3 deep lags..
You can build a supper for the top if you like,,then you can use a queen excluder...Now this is only MY southern opinion that works for ME.


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## tim8557 (Feb 6, 2015)

I recently watched a Michael Bush presentation at a club meeting on YouTube. He seems to prefer just using Langs as a top bar hive and I think he makes his own Langs so he can make them any length he wishes. I think that the shape of the box is pretty irrelevant but the frame size is critical. You can check widths on his website.


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

You build the box 19 7/8" just like the lang hive and make it as long as you want it, it works best if you build it on the 16 1/4" os you can use a lang supper if needed........then you can work on the top.
Tim, I like the Amateurs vs Professionals


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## Montyb (May 27, 2013)

I built and started a long Lang this spring. Hived a new package in April and they seemed to be doing well but on the first inspection the brood pattern was very spotty but I wanted to give the queen a little more time. Haven't improved but yesterday when we did an inspection we found a number of supercedure cells and one is getting close to emerging. Small pin hole size opening in cap. So we closed the hive back up. Bees were very docile, didn't need smoke and none head butting or being aggressive. Will give them some more time to fix their problem.


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## drlonzo (Apr 15, 2014)

I have 7 of them using deep frames only and no queen excluders. The bees built up great and was ready for splitting earlier than expected. I've pulled frames all spring to build nucs with and they are still going strong. Built mine with solid bottoms and 2x12 wood. Set them up till they accept 24 frames and a 2 inch one gallon feeder.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>does anybody have experience with a horizontal lang?

Yes.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beeshorizontalhives.htm


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## Anthony_55 (Jun 18, 2015)

Are the bees more likely to swarm with a horizontal lang compared to a vertical lang?....... do they like to move vertical over horizontally?????


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Are the bees more likely to swarm with a horizontal lang compared to a vertical lang?....... do they like to move vertical over horizontally?????

They are more likely to swarm in a poorly managed hive... but it may be easier to poorly manage one with a fixed volume and one that a comb of honey can constrict the queen more easily which are both issues with a horizontal hive. Assuming you manage them well, I see no difference, but the horizontal hive will require more frequent management. So, in an outyard where I probably won't manage them frequently enough, yes, I'd say the horizontal hive is more likely to swarm...


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Michael Bush said:


> >Are the bees more likely to swarm with a horizontal lang compared to a vertical lang?....... do they like to move vertical over horizontally?????
> 
> They are more likely to swarm in a poorly managed hive... but it may be easier to poorly manage one with a fixed volume and one that a comb of honey can constrict the queen more easily which are both issues with a horizontal hive. Assuming you manage them well, I see no difference, but the horizontal hive will require more frequent management. So, in an outyard where I probably won't manage them frequently enough, yes, I'd say the horizontal hive is more likely to swarm...


I can see why there would be a need for more frequent "management". Would the "management" in this hive be less disruptive than a vertical hive?


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## Anthony_55 (Jun 18, 2015)

Thank you Mr. Bush...... this is my first year with horizontal langs (two) and in both of them I've had queen cups. In one of the langs the queen just totally stopped laying and I think she's ready to swarm. My plan is to remove her into a brand new vertical hive with some capped brood. Then steal some of her sisters from other hives for support...... hopeful they will survive.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Would the "management" in this hive be less disruptive than a vertical hive?

It could be. Especially if you made a lot of small boards for your "inner cover" so you only expose a small amount of the bees at a time. It's certainly less hard on your back and less overall "mechanical" work when you don't have to dig your way to the bottom box...


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## Anthony_55 (Jun 18, 2015)

With the third lang I'm building right now I'm doing exactly what you say.....small 1"x6" across the whole box, definitely less disruptive !


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