# Starting a TBH in mid July???



## RAFAEL/PR (Feb 23, 2012)

NC Queen Bee said:


> I have placed an order for my, first TBH, from a local beekeeper, who is also a great woodworker! He will have it ready after the 4th of July... I am in central NC... Is it too late to start the hive? Would it be better to wait until spring? Any suggestions/ideas are welcome... Thank you.


YEA best thing to do is order a noc come with 5 frame with blood and honey, you will need to break off the side wood of the frame to fit on your top bar hive , i build mine top bar hive to except super deep frame , don't order the 3 pound of bee i don't think they will make it by next year , if you know someone around your area who could sale you a split that will be even better, Good luck!


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## Steven Ogborn (Jun 3, 2011)

If you can get a nuc that would fit, go for it. They don't have to have a totally full hive to make it through winter,
just the right proportion of bees to stores to over winter on. I started a nuc last year on the July 4th holiday, that
had to raise their own queen and fill up the nuc box. I had to move them to a full sized hive, then a few weeks later
split them, early this spring. But, I wouldn't suggest a package(that probably can't be had anyway) or pioneering
them from another hive. They have to have time to draw comb, gain population and put away stores. Here in 
Texas, everything is busy getting dried up and scorched by the sun by July.


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## Tracer (May 28, 2012)

If you can find a nuc in your area, I would recommend that as well. As noted by RAFAEL above, you need to configure the nuc frames to fit in your TBH, but it's doable. It's called Chop & Crop, and it can be a bit messy and risky. I did it and loaded my beed on June 1, which was a little later than ideal, but they seem to be doing fine. Good luck.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

Wait until spring.


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

I say get your bees and install them on the 5th.
I am in NC and we always seem to have "indian summers" so there should be plenty of time for them to build up enough population for winter. They might not have enough food too,so you might have to feed them syrup. Remember bees shave down their numbers in winter time naturally. Is the woodworker also the beek?


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## NC Queen Bee (Jun 15, 2012)

Thank you all. I have 7 hives and was hoping to have a swarm from one of them but they all seem happy where they are. Yes, the woodworker is a beekeeper. He makes crypress woodenware for several NC people who sell to the public... I already see several different kinds of boxes, I may ask him to make for me.. I need to stop reading all these frums..lol


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## Keefis (May 4, 2012)

If you have multiple hive you could probably "steal workers" from each hive to help populate the new hive quickly. Other beeks could advise you on that part.


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## SteveBee (Jul 15, 2010)

I started a top bar hive on July 5th two years ago. I got bees shaken in from another hive (about three pounds) with no comb at all. I fed them fairly consistently for about three months and they built about 14 combs and came out next Spring ready to swarm.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Go for it. You may lose them, but you will learn a lot in the process. You only get so many seasons do this, so why lose one? And buy sugar.


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