# Two Packages of Bees in 1 Top Bar Hive?



## BeeSC (May 31, 2015)

Hello,

Is it possible to start 2 packages of bees in a single top bar hive with a divider board in the middle? I'm a one-year langstroth hive beekeeper, but got a TBH this year. I haven't built the 2nd one yet and the bees came. OK to start with 2 in 1 for a while? Then move to larger space when the 2nd TBH is ready?

Thanks.


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

BeeSC said:


> Hello,
> 
> Is it possible to start 2 packages of bees in a single top bar hive with a divider board in the middle?


Yes. Make sure that they have separate entrances. Keep it simple.


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## Duncan151 (Aug 3, 2013)

You can, but unless your follower board makes a really tight divider, you will have problems. I would even cut a groove in the hive body for the follower board to sit into. I tried running two colonies in one TBH a couple times. My divider boards are not tight enough, I had bees crossing back and forth. Tried tape and a few other things to fix the gaps. It is amazing what a bee colony can chew up and remove! LOL 
I even had one hive where the queen crossed over and was laying in both ends of the hive. That was the last of that experiment for me!


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

It's possible. But use duct tape on the follower board to make them tight. Otherwise, my bees would cross over and fight.


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## Duncan151 (Aug 3, 2013)

ruthiesbees said:


> It's possible. But use duct tape on the follower board to make them tight. Otherwise, my bees would cross over and fight.


I tried duct tape, the little buggers chewed through it in about 10 days!


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Duncan151 said:


> I tried duct tape, the little buggers chewed through it in about 10 days!


Wow! You either got the cheap kind or those buggers wanted into the other hive. Guess you could also try the window flashing aluminum tape.


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## Duncan151 (Aug 3, 2013)

ruthiesbees said:


> Wow! You either got the cheap kind or those buggers wanted into the other hive. Guess you could also try the window flashing aluminum tape.


I just built more hives and nucs, less headache all around lol


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Duncan151 said:


> I just built more hives and nucs, less headache all around lol


Same here with me. I actually use 5 frame Langstroth nucs and put in windows for my overwintered topbar hive colonies. Have to move them out in early spring when they start drawing the comb into a rectangle shape rather than keeping the trapezoid one. I'm now up to 6 full size boxes plus the 6 nuc boxes. I think my yard is full


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## Duncan151 (Aug 3, 2013)

ruthiesbees said:


> Same here with me. I actually use 5 frame Langstroth nucs and put in windows for my overwintered topbar hive colonies. Have to move them out in early spring when they start drawing the comb into a rectangle shape rather than keeping the trapezoid one. I'm now up to 6 full size boxes plus the 6 nuc boxes. I think my yard is full


Naw, you can always find room for one more! LOL


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