# Bees from Lang nucs...



## beebiz (Feb 5, 2005)

I've posted here once before and everyone was more than willing to help. I really appreciate it and am looking forward to the same this time!

As I have said in another post, I plan on starting a TBH or two to help with garden and flower pollination. I've chosen TBH's because of the low $$ start-up and because they eliminate a lot of the lifting that my back is no longer able to do.

I have a friend that has agreed to give me a nuc for each hive to get me started. At first, I thought that was great! Then I thought about the fact that the nucs are Langs and my hives are TBH's... they don't mix well!! Has anyone gotten Lang nucs to start their TBH? If so, how did you get the brood, food, and everything into the TBH. Sorry if this sounds kind of "simple," but I just don't konw.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Beebiz


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I'd make a "nuc introduction board". You can find them in Brushy Mt's catalog, but you'll need to customize it to the top bar hive. It's just a piece of plywood that is the size of the bottom of the nuc and has a hole that fits over the top bar hive. You could even make a beespace under it with some screen molding or a ripped piece of one by. Then you could just leave one bar out. Or you could just make a hole in the nuc introduction board that is the width of one bar.

If you were going the OTHER way, from a top bar to a Langstroth, Then you could just cut the comb and tie it into the frames. I suppose you could BUILD five frames that fit the top bar hive and do that.


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## Sasha (Feb 22, 2005)

Hi,
If it is not too simple for you , just take the langstroth frame and tie it with wire to your top bar.Repeat it with all L.frames.There you are.When you got a true bar with comb just pul the "fake" bars out.

Regards,Sasha


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## beebiz (Feb 5, 2005)

Thanks to both of you for your suggestions. I must admit that Sasha's suggestion sounds like it would be the easiest. Isn't if funny how the simplest solutions are the ones that are hardest to see without help!!

Thanks again,
beebiz


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

If your bars are large enough to put the lanstroth frame on, you can do that. Or you can cut it down, perhaps. But none of my top bar hives have combs that big. The only one I built that was that big collapsed like a row of dominoes, so I'm hesitant to try that again.


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## beebiz (Feb 5, 2005)

Michael, that definately sounds like bad news. You've got me concerned now! If I go ahead and use the deeper hive and I have trouble with combs collapsing, wouldn't I be able to transfer the bees to a more shallow hive? I know that this is not the ideal situation, but the deep one is the one that I already have built. The bars are 16 1/2" wide (15" + 3/4" each end that rests on the sides of the hive) and the hive is 10" deep (from the bottom of the top bar to the top of the bottom board). You think a hive this deep will cause problems?

Thanks in advance!

Bee Good,
beebiz


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## jim b (Oct 3, 2004)

Michael- i've read of the domino effect in your topbar in the past and have wondered how you cleaned up rhe results.


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## limulus (Feb 10, 2004)

Beebiz, My top bar hives are 16" wide (inside measurement)and 11" deep with sloping sides. I have 3 of them, and have not yet had any major comb collapse. I set my system up after reading about Michael's dominoe hive. I believe his collapse was in a hive based on standard deep hive bodies, much wider and with vertical sides. My hives are set where they get morning sun, then shade the rest of the day. They are under some red-bud and black locust trees on the east facing slope of a hill. I also was very careful to follow Michael and Dennis' advise on comb handling and hive ventilation. This site is a great place to learn about other people's methods and problems, and hopefully ways to avoid the same pit falls.


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## Sasha (Feb 22, 2005)

If your bars are large enough to put the lanstroth frame on, you can do that. Or you can cut it down, perhaps. But none of my top bar hives have combs that big. The only one I built that was that big collapsed like a row of dominoes, so I'm hesitant to try that again.

Michael,did your combs colapsed because of sun or did the bees attached them to the sides of the hive or some other reason?Or did it fall without reason ?
My problem was that the bees had attached the edges of the comb to the sides of the hive,and after I havd cut it of with a knife ,a few days later the comb has fallen - and I have lost this strongest colony.Big blow for me.

Sasha


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## Doug-TN (May 8, 2004)

I did exactly this last year with my first tbh. I built the tbh so I could drop a regular med lang frame down in there and it worked great. As the hive grew, I moved the frames to the back of the hive and let the bees rob them out one by one. (just have to make sure the quees stays up front on the top bars) My bees built up fine and I got a quart jar of honey from them in the fall. They are still doing great (will no meds at all) I am planning on getting two more started this spring.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Michael- i've read of the domino effect in your topbar in the past and have wondered how you cleaned up rhe results. 

I just did a standard cut out. Cut the brood to fit frames and tie them in. It wasn't so hard to clean up (since I have frames and other hives) but it was dissapointing.

>Michael,did your combs colapsed because of sun or did the bees attached them to the sides of the hive or some other reason?Or did it fall without reason ?

The hive was in the shade. The weather was hot, the flow as on. The comb was new and full of nectar. No significant attachments at all. I just decided that smaller combs were a smarter way to go.


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