Top Bar Bee Keeping

Distinct in shape and size the top bar beehive commonly features a single rectangular or tub shaped hive body with parallel bars.

Top bar bee keeping. The sort of place that bees would naturally choose for a nest. One is declared more practical while the other is touted as more natural but which one is best for. The number of top bars the hive will accommodate varies with the width of the box but as a reference a 42 box will use 28 top bars. The style i ve used is based on beehives used in kenya but also popular with natural beekeepers throughout the world.

Off grid with doug stacy 495 584 views. Edo achillea 109 532 views. We only use western red cedar for the construction of our hives cheaper woods such as pine or plywood are not used. This particular design is a large solidly made one well suited to sheltering bees through cold uk winters.

Its high beeswax yields make it great for when the beekeeper is aiming for wax as a major beehive product. Each top bar is laid across the hive with one end at the front of the box and the other at the back. Top bar beehives may be one of the oldest forms of domestic beekeeping. Opened up a horizontal bee hive and found this.

Made from different materials that are often repurposed or recycled top bar hives can be observed around the world. The bars form a continuous roof over the comb whereas the frames in most current hives allow space for bees to move up or down between boxes. The first written report observing these hives comes from the 1600s. They are one of the most basic methods of managing bees as they are simple to build simple to manage and are more advanced than a skep or cavity from which the comb cannot be easily removed.

Les crowder top bar beekeeping duration. There is evidence they were once used in greece in the form of a pot or basket with sticks laid across the top. Whether you are new to beekeeping and trying to decide on a hive style or just curious about trying a new design there are some definite advantages and drawbacks for both langstroth and top bar hives. Among these is the top bar beehive.

Top bar hives have likely been used for thousands of years. Top bar beekeeping for beginners is great. Each hive is custom built in our workshop in wiltshire. A top bar hive is a single story frameless beehive in which the comb hangs from removable bars.

The top bar design sets out to emulate a fallen hollow log. That s what we do and we are very good at it. At top bar beehives we manufacture premium quality top bar beehives. Modern beekeeping can be done using various hives.