# Moving Bees into a Topbar



## rlc5925 (Apr 19, 2009)

I'll try and explain this the best I can.I would like to get started in top bar hives. I used to have several langstroth hives but a year back decided to give them up. I had several empty boxes stacked on top of each other next to a storage shed. last summer a swarm settled in the empty boxes and by all accounts seem to be doing very well. I have not tried to go in them to see whats going on. So, with no frame in the boxes I have no idea what Im in for. I wold like to transfer these bees into a new top bar. Im looking for advice on how to pull this off. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


----------



## Thucar (Mar 11, 2017)

I would say you are looking at a standard cutout approach. Get the brood combs, cut them to fit inside the hive ( use the follower board as a template) and attach them to top bars. I use cotton string for that. Poke a hole in the comb with a bbq stick and thread the string through. The bees will fix it to the bar later.


----------



## rlc5925 (Apr 19, 2009)

Thucar said:


> I would say you are looking at a standard cutout approach. Get the brood combs, cut them to fit inside the hive ( use the follower board as a template) and attach them to top bars. I use cotton string for that. Poke a hole in the comb with a bbq stick and thread the string through. The bees will fix it to the bar later.


Thanks Thucar
Should I move the top bar withe the newly placed bees away from the present site for a while.


----------



## Thucar (Mar 11, 2017)

I don't think I'm best qualified to offer advice on this, with my limited beekeeping experience, but I would set up the TBH right next to, or better yet on the very spot where they have taken up residence right now, while removing the old boxes. Then once they have settled in and you need to relocate the hive, do so by moving the hive couple feet every day.


----------



## AvatarDad (Mar 31, 2016)

Dr. Magnum's book as well as some videos I've seen all suggest letting the bees attach, stabilize and propolize a bit before you move them. So, I like Thucar's advice of leaving the new hive in the same location as the old for a week or two and then move. Never peek inside before the move... move them and then look later.


----------



## BeardedBeeApiary (Jan 10, 2018)

I'm a 3rd year Beekeeper and want to try a KTBH this year, HOWEVER I can only get "NUCs" (no one sells "Packages" around me) and I came across this Link, on how to Install a NUC into a TBH, 
But have not heard any results from this... would/could this work? or am I chasing a pipe dream? - I'm almost debating on waiting for a Swarm to randomly move in, or wait until I do a Removal.. 
any thoughts/suggestions/help!? 

the link:: 

https://kootenaybeenews.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/langnuc-into-tbh.pdf


----------



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

BeardedBeeApiary said:


> I'm a 3rd year Beekeeper and want to try a KTBH this year, HOWEVER I can only get "NUCs" (no one sells "Packages" around me) and I came across this Link, on how to Install a NUC into a TBH,
> But have not heard any results from this... would/could this work? or am I chasing a pipe dream? - I'm almost debating on waiting for a Swarm to randomly move in, or wait until I do a Removal..
> any thoughts/suggestions/help!?
> 
> ...


One has difficult time getting the bees to move off of the nuc Lang frames and over to the topbar side. Sounds to me like you already have bees, so why not create a split from one of your own this spring with a shaken swarm? Best scenario is to take your own queen from the hive and cage her (so they don't all fly the empty TBH coop). Then you take each frame of bees and shake them over the topbar hive after you have suspended the queen in her cage from a wire between 2 empty topbars. Shake in all the bees from the Lang hive (or a really good amount to make a split). Return the frames to the original Lang location and the foragers will return to that hive. Add a newly purchased queen in a cage to the Lang hive and let them accept her. The bees that you shook into the TBH are already familiar with that queen and will get right to work in the new hive. You do have to factor in that foragers will go back to the old location (Lang box) but don't be stingy with the amount of bees you shake into the TBH. You want a really good bundle to get that comb drawn out. Add a feeder. After 3 days, you can manually release the original queen and the bees should have drawn comb for her to start laying in.


----------



## BeardedBeeApiary (Jan 10, 2018)

ruthiesbees said:


> One has difficult time getting the bees to move off of the nuc Lang frames and over to the topbar side. Sounds to me like you already have bees, so why not create a split from one of your own this spring with a shaken swarm? Best scenario is to take your own queen from the hive and cage her (so they don't all fly the empty TBH coop). Then you take each frame of bees and shake them over the topbar hive after you have suspended the queen in her cage from a wire between 2 empty topbars. Shake in all the bees from the Lang hive (or a really good amount to make a split). Return the frames to the original Lang location and the foragers will return to that hive. Add a newly purchased queen in a cage to the Lang hive and let them accept her. The bees that you shook into the TBH are already familiar with that queen and will get right to work in the new hive. You do have to factor in that foragers will go back to the old location (Lang box) but don't be stingy with the amount of bees you shake into the TBH. You want a really good bundle to get that comb drawn out. Add a feeder. After 3 days, you can manually release the original queen and the bees should have drawn comb for her to start laying in.



Thanks for the Info! I currently have 3 hives, I may just use them to supply the TBH... no one around me sells Queens, so its all up to me... I'm hoping to start making my own Queens this year (if all goes well) so that may help.. the link just seemed to good to be true.. the way it was explained makes sense and could actually work, just never heard/seen any results from it...
either way I got my KTBH set up like the link so if I get ballsy enough I could try it.. just don't want to missuse a NUC and have it not pan out (if that makes sense).. 

it also seems as my bars are the same length as my Langs. so I may try and "attempt" to start some come in a lang and move back into the TBH...


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I always do a package or a shaken swarm to populate my TBHs. You could pretty much shake all the bees from the Langstroth into a TBH and put the TBH where you want it and half of them will drift back. Just make sure you get the queen in the TBH so the old hive can raise a queen and the TBH will have a queen, since the TBH will not have the means to make their own (no brood).


----------



## BeardedBeeApiary (Jan 10, 2018)

Michael Bush said:


> I always do a package or a shaken swarm to populate my TBHs. You could pretty much shake all the bees from the Langstroth into a TBH and put the TBH where you want it and half of them will drift back. Just make sure you get the queen in the TBH so the old hive can raise a queen and the TBH will have a queen, since the TBH will not have the means to make their own (no brood).


Sir, that sounds like sound advice, thanks! I may try that, if I can find the queen, LOL 
I'm just waiting for this Louisiana weather to warm up so I can open the hives and see whats going on...


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>if I can find the queen, LOL 

If you can't, them make sure you either get ALL of the bees (no stragglers but of course they can fly back) or make one frame for your top bar hive and rubber band a piece of comb with young brood and eggs into the top bar hive.


----------



## BeardedBeeApiary (Jan 10, 2018)

Michael Bush said:


> >if I can find the queen, LOL
> 
> If you can't, them make sure you either get ALL of the bees (no stragglers but of course they can fly back) or make one frame for your top bar hive and rubber band a piece of comb with young brood and eggs into the top bar hive.


I'm usually good at finding the queens, but sometimes its a chore... and each hive has 2 deep brood boxes, so that would be an even bigger challenge.. lol!


I may try and split my hives and split into the TBH (w/Queen) or wait until the perfect situation lands in my lap (if/when that happens...lol).... 


I am more then comfortable doing the Chop and crop, just really want to Avoid that, as I am a one man crew.. and my Service dog cant help me out.. haha


----------



## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

I am a fan of the reverse,of MB's advice and to drift in to the THB. for a few reasons you may well consider. however if you cant find the queen a full shake down make sence

With MB's plan you shake all the bees to the TBH, the old forgers drift back lang, so the lang is left to raise QC's with no nurce bees on hand, It takes the forgers about 2 days to revert to jelly production and I suspect that will leave you with a sub par queen with the first cells drawn, thus 1st to emerge possosabul under fed/under cared for.

I would suggest it may be better to move the lang a few feet, place the KTBH in its spot, chop/crop one frame of open brood and place it with the queen on it. That way you keep all the nurce bees in the hive that will make QC, and the hive with the queen reverts and acts like a swarm and starts drawing comb quickly with no need to cage the queen as open brood holds the bees.


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>With MB's plan you shake all the bees to the TBH...

The old hive has all the brood, including all the emerging brood who will quickly fill the needs that require young bees. Plus, if you are good at spotting the queen, you can always leave a few frames of bees on the brood in the old hive if you feel that is a concern


----------

