# Review of my 3 years keeping bees in tbh



## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Suggest trying a few langstroth hives to compare. 

I have no experience with TBHs, but the problems you had with swarming might be increased. IME bees easily expand up and not as much to the sides. TBH could also increase the chance to get honey bound.


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## Nordak (Jun 17, 2016)

Regarding the swarming, from my experience with TBHs, which is primarily the hive I keep, you can quell swarming, but it takes much more intensive management. Unlike a Lang, you can't throw on a super above, which keeps the bees occupied for a longer period of time then using a bar or two to give expansion. When they are in expansion mode, and the temps aren't too cold, put bars in liberally to open up the brood nest, say 5 at a time. I went two years without a swarm, got slack this year, and lost a lot of swarms. I'd say the TBH is potentially a bigger swarm maker if not managed properly with more frequent manipulations.


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## typhoontx (May 1, 2013)

If I had split to start my nieces hive earlier it possibly would have prevented the swarm, I talked to a local beekeeper that takes swarm capture calls and he indicated that this year he got the most swarm calls in June, usually April& May is when he gets the highest number of swarm removal requests. Next spring I will plan do a split much earlier to head off a swarm, either to restart hive #2 or restart my niece's hive


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