# Feedback on ventilation/superhighway design



## texanbelchers (Aug 4, 2014)

First, welcome. You are in for a fun ride!

In my opinion that is wasted effort. The bees will fill in those triangles when they draw comb. They will leave plenty of vent space around the sides and occasionally create interior communication holes all by themselves.

That hex shaped design looks nice, but one of the biggest advantages of a top bar hive is the simplicity. Of course, some beekeepers are also wood craftsmen and like show pieces.


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## DaisyNJ (Aug 3, 2015)

Welcome. If everything else goes well, I will be starting first time this 2016 spring too. Read few books, watched videos, read some research papers etc. All around advice was to get started simple, easy and go from there. And I intend to take that advice. 

There are simpler solutions for temperature and moisture controls for cold weather.

Les Crowder TBH and a Horizontal Lang style foundationless is what I will be trying.


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## Kmuncaster (Jul 27, 2015)

Hmm, I take your point about simplicity but its likely these will be my only two hives as I have limited space. So I am willing to invest some time in making the features I want and I am having fun with it. So I guess I am wondering if there is any other downside to these features (apart from wasted time!). 

Also just to be clear I am not building a cathedral hive (way beyond my woodworking skill) I am just stealing some of its design features for my standard top bar hive. 
Katherine


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## Cabin (Nov 30, 2014)

Kmuncaster said:


> I would love feedback on these prototype top bars before I do the rest of the hive.
> 
> 
> I am new to beekeeping and I am building my first two hives (TBHs) in anticipation of getting bees in spring. I felt inspired by both the ‘colony-regulated ventilation system’ and the ‘superhighways’ in the cathedral hive design: see http://www.backyardhive.com/the_cathedral_hive_the_next_evolution_in_top_bar_hive_design/
> ...


Looks like a fun project. Have you tried a good quality hole saw at low speed?? I would set up a jig so you can clamp the frame to a strong backer board to prevent splitting. How you did it seems to be just as well. The comb sure looks cool but I wonder how much it will weigh full of honey? I just wonder since it has a full top why they did not make bee space gapes between the frames, at least along the sides.


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## Kmuncaster (Jul 27, 2015)

Alas, I do not have a hole saw. Next time my husband suggests more woodworking tools I won't roll my eyes at him!

I am unfamiliar with the use of jigs so looked it up--i think I will take up your suggestion of some backer board to minimize the splitting on the miter saw. Thanks!

I agree those cathedral hive combs look heavy! Regarding it not having beespaces between the frames, I think the intent was to be a variation of a topbar hive which always keeps the bees under the top bars, making hive inspection less distressing for the bees. 

One concern that just occurred to me with the vent slots is that they might be a haven for small hive beetle. sHB has just reached this province, its unknown yet if it will thrive in this climate but if it does I dont want to be a host! The vents are designed to be less than a beespace so the bees can seal them with propolis if they choose but I imagine they'd only be able to do this at the bottom. Any thoughts? Are SHB an issue in the togtpbars themselves? fYI i will have a gabled roof that is inaccessible to the bees (would it help if made it accessible to the bees from outside?)

Thank you all for your help and suggestions!


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## Cabin (Nov 30, 2014)

The way it looks to me the hive is a combination of a top bar and long lange. The top cover looks like it is intended to enclose the frames with air space between the frames and the top cover. If the bees can not get to the space easily then I fear you will have a breeding ground for SHBs. I would cut frames to allow the bees to access all areas of the hive with ease. If the bees only had access from the outside you would be creating a death trap for them during cold weather. 

As for hive inspection I think you can throw out the usual top bar idea of not disturbing the bees. Given the shape of the frames once one is removed you have opened up a very large hole in the hive. Before you inspect the hive I think you better make a frame stand for those frames you want to remove during inspections.


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## Delta Bay (Dec 4, 2009)

Hi Kmuncaster, what I would suggest if you are new to bees is to not over think and make things complicated. The super highways are fine if you have the proper tools to make them. The ventilation gaps will be closed off by the bees, so no need taking the time to build them into the bars unless you are looking for access to treat or feed.
If you are new you should really start with foundation starter strips so that your first experience with bees has the best chance to start out right for you while you get familiar with the bees. Once you gather some experience you can experiment with different ideas.


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## dcnylund (May 28, 2015)

Hi Kmuncaster. I think it looks like a fun experiment. If you are only trying a version of the superhighway, it shouldn't get too complicated. Maybe try one hive with and one hive without to compare. Let us know what the bees do with it! The cathedral ceilings also look very cool, but adds a complexity that might be best once bees and beekeeper are more established. Have fun with it!


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## Terry C (Sep 6, 2013)

dcnylund said:


> Hi Kmuncaster. I think it looks like a fun experiment. If you are only trying a version of the superhighway, it shouldn't get too complicated. Maybe try one hive with and one hive without to compare. Let us know what the bees do with it! The cathedral ceilings also look very cool, but adds a complexity that might be best once bees and beekeeper are more established. Have fun with it!


 From the responses it appears y'all think she's building those half-hexagon frames . I didn't get that , it appears to me that the bottom 3 photos in her original post are her bars and they're straight . Kmuncaster , care to clear that up for us ? 

I'm considering a TBH to add to my apiary next year just because I can ... the ideal IMO is to put a fresh swarm into one , since they're in comb-drawing mode .


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## dcnylund (May 28, 2015)

I also understood she was only looking at the venting/superhighway. I just thought the cathedral ceilings were cool.


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## Kmuncaster (Jul 27, 2015)

Yes I am not building a cathedral hive, just a straight top bar of normal dimensions.


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## Delta Bay (Dec 4, 2009)

My assumption was that you are going with Wyatt's hive design and thinking maybe you have his book as well.
I would go with the way he does his hives if I was starting out.


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

I don't know what size holes you need but a paper punch might provide a solution. A hand punch if you have good grip strength, or perhaps a three hole punch for more oomph. Forstner bit might work too.
Bill


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