# TBH, KTBH, TTBH... what're the actual differences?



## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Can anyone describe what makes a Kenyan a Kenyan, a Tanzanian a Tanzanian, and other TBH sub-types? Is it dimensions, angle, entrance, what? Are there even any broad generalities that can be drawn?

P.S. if it's as simple as a Kenyan is sloped and a Tanz is a long-hive, are there other types that are substantially different enough to not be considered a variant of one of these styles?


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## HAB (May 17, 2008)

Wikipedia=

The Kenyan top bar hive is a trough-shaped hive that originated in Kenya under the direction of Canadian bee researcher Dr.Maurice V. Smith, sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency under an initial four year project begun in 1971. The Kenyan TBH is differentiated from the other common design, the Tanzania Top Bar Hive, by having sloped sides (intended to minimize attachment of the comb). Reports vary as to how well this end is achieved in practice, but it is worth noting that this design appears to be preferred among top bar hive builders and designers in the USA and Europe, including Les Crowder, Marty Hardiman, Michael Bush and Phil Chandler. The degree of slope varies, but 30 to 40 degrees from the vertical seems to be most common.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

> Can anyone describe what makes a Kenyan a Kenyan, a Tanzanian a Tanzanian, and other TBH sub-types? Is it dimensions, angle, entrance, what?

As mentioned above and:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesglossary.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm#k
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm#t
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm

> Are there even any broad generalities that can be drawn?

The theory is that the KTBH will have less attachments.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm#attachments

>P.S. if it's as simple as a Kenyan is sloped and a Tanz is a long-hive, are there other types that are substantially different enough to not be considered a variant of one of these styles?

Those are the only two names I've heard and it's just to differentiate between the straight and sloped sides.


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## MOJ "The Bee Whisperer" (Aug 25, 2008)

*Nice post*

that was one of the beekeeper kings shooting you some info. good links


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## Jkrens (Mar 20, 2009)

A Kenyan is what has been said, a TBH with Sloped sides that looks like this:












They can be between 36" and 48" long depending on what you want your outcome to be. It is sloped to prevent the bees from attaching comb to the side walls. It creates an illusion and makes them SOMETIMES think it's the floor and SOMETIMES they will not attach to it.


The tanzanian is a TBH with straight sides. Just a box with top bars pretty much.


Another typed of TBH is the Warre. This is a multiple level TBH that looks like this











if I didn't answer your questions, let me know and I can go more into detail


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## BillSF9c (May 18, 2007)

*Different TBH*



Ben Brewcat said:


> P.S. if it's as simple as a Kenyan is sloped and a Tanz is a long-hive, are there other types that are substantially different enough to not be considered a variant of one of these styles?


Not a varient, but a vTBH... verticle TBH
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/warrebeekeeping/

Stacks like a Lang, TB. Small footprint.
DeMetricizing it, call it 12x12 Interior, by ~8.5" tall boxes.
Only ~8" are used in the volume calc, removing TBs from the equation.
2 boxes/bodies were 18 liters.
I altered that to 10 gallons, a 5% change.

These are subbered, as opposed to suppered. ("Nadir.")
(Or, midded... LOL!)
A whole free eBook is on the Home Page.
And I won't here, niow, go into 6, 8, even 15 sided variant of it or the
Gedde hives. Or Christ, DeLong... LOL!

Working on advanced plans. The basic hive is a "People's hive."
Almost dirt cheap to make. Very simple, under expresses it.
Although the original roof (which has a simpler counterpart,)
is a tiny bit fancy, to deal with warmth & moisture,
like a tree cavity does...

BillSF9c


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