# inverting a hive



## Clif Schlicher (Feb 6, 2014)

Recently I removed 3 hives from the floor of a house trailer. To facilitate removal, after determining the exact location of the hive, I cut along the joists, then I screwed sections of 1 x 12 cut the same length as my hive top bars to the floor, cut the plywood floor on either side of the 1 x 12, cut through the comb below with my long knife and lifted out and placed that section of the hive right into my top bar box. Each of these hives filled 2/3 or better of my 41 inch boxes. So now I guess I have top *plate* hives with sections of the original have attached to sections of the trailer floor. 

After getting them home, I set them up on stands and let them settle in. 

Now it's time to get them onto regular bars. I was going to take each section out, turn it over so I could remove the combs and attach them to bars. However, I have often read that beekeepers turned bee gums upside down and placed a have body on top. The bees abandon the old comb and start to build in the top, as the bees won't place stores in inverted comb and the queen won't lay in it. 

The way my top bar hives are built, I can invert one and place an empty on top. My plan is to put a couple of empty combs in the top so the queen immediately has place to lay and to encourage building up there.

Do any of you have experience with inverting natural hives to move the bees? What are your thoughts on my plans?

Thanks


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## Dan the bee guy (Jun 18, 2015)

Will be watching this thread ,sounds like a great plan .


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## MariahK (Dec 28, 2014)

for my top bar cut out I hung the comb with hair clips and zip ties which worked fantastically well.


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## Clif Schlicher (Feb 6, 2014)

Sure, hair clips, zip ties, rubber bands; they all work in various situations. I've done my share of cutouts. Considering the particular way I removed these, I'm just looking for a better and easier way to get the bees moved over and get all fresh comb to boot.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

I've done it with combs that were not inverted. It sounds like a great plan, hopefully it will work for you. This time of year might be harder to get them to do that than sometime in the spring or early summer. I'll be anxious to hear your results.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I don't think the bees really care if you invert the combs. The Heddon hive was puposefully designed to allow it in two ways. First you could flip the comb within the frame (a frame inside a frame on a pivot) and second, you could clamp all the frames in place and invert the entire box. When I was reading the 1886 ABJ the beekeepers of that era seemed quite obsessed with the idea as a swarm control method.

"REVERSIBLE FRAMES.

"While the reversing of brood combs will produce no ill effects whatever, numerous are the advantages arising from such reversal; some of which aid us materially in accomplishing the desired results which are partially accomplished in the contracting system, above described.

"When using frames even no deeper than the standard Langstroth, you know how the bees (especially Italians) will persist in crowding the queen by storing honey that ought to go into the surplus department, along the upper edge of the brood combs, just under the top bar, and farther down in the upper corners, till by actual measurement we find that nearly one-fourth of each frame, and sometimes more, is occupied with honey.

"Now if we reverse the frame containing a comb so tilled, we place the honey in an unusual position; in a place usually occupied with brood, and when this is done in the breeding season, when the bees are not inclined to decrease their quantity of brood, this honey will be immediately removed to the surplus department, and soon the frame will be one solid sheet of brood, which is a glad sight to the bee-keeper whose experience has taught him the value of a compact brood nest, free from honey."

Success in Beeculture by James Heddon Pg 85


It seemed a pretty common subject:

"REVERSIBLE BROOD FRAMES.

"The engraving represents the reversible brood-frame made by Mr. James Heddon. Many devices have been presented to reverse the frames, but this is as good as any, where reversing is desired."

Bees and honey, or, The management of an apiary for pleasure and profit by Thomas G. Newman pg 44


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I have had bees not abandon upside down combs.


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