getting started

[Dee]

ok, you guys are starting to get me interested in the TBH.
I guess im going to need more info and plans to try it out, i'd like to try it on a split? But before i do will they over winter ok in PA.
Thanks a bunch,
Deanna

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"The secret of life is not to do what you like, but to like what you do. God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage."

- Author Unknown -

[Michael Bush]

>I guess im going to need more info and plans to try it out, i'd like to try it on a split?

I'm using a medium depth three box long Lanstroth size box and having good luck. If you have some medium frames for the split it could work in a box that size. Otherwise you'll have to do a shaken swarm.

>But before i do will they over winter ok in PA.

If they get a good start, get built up well, and put away enough stores by winter, yes.

I've overwintered horizontal hives in Nebraska.

[Scot Mc Pherson]

Instead of doing a split you could do a shakedown and supply a queen.

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Scot Mc Pherson
Foundationless Small Cell Top Bar Hives
BeeWiki: http://linuxfromscratch.org/~scot/beewiki/

[CherGarr]

Over wintering is my current concern about starting a TBH as well. I'm in Ohio, winters are not really horrible here, but generally pretty windy. If I understand correctly (as I have not had bees through a winter yet) you reduce the space they have to heat in the winter. How do you do this in a TBH, or do you at all?

[Michael Bush]

In the horizontal hive last winter, I did not restrict the space and it did fine. But if you want to reduce the space, build a follower board. Like a frame but tighter to the walls that blocks off the remainder of the hive and can be slid to whatever position you want. Another option, which I put on my latest horizontal hives, is a groove that a divider can slide into. These are usually tighter and easier to keep the bees out the rest of he hive.

[chemistbert]

You could make a loose follower and use strips of plastic and thumbtacks to make a good seal. Personally I am gonna leave mine full size this winter. Worst that happens is they die. But I doubt it.

[GA-BEE]

I too am looking into building a TBH for wax production for our candles, see www.clearnights,com (http://www.clearnights,com) for more info. Anyhow, I would like to know the best way to introduce bees to a TBH. I am thinking of buying a nuc to start the TBH. How do I introduce them and they not abscond?

[Keith Benson]

Try www.clearnights.com (http://www.clearnights.com) . . . http://www.beesource.com/ubb/wink.gif

Nice pics BTW.

Keith

[Michael Bush]

I wouldn't use a nuc. I might use the nuc to build up a hive and then do a shaken swarm from the hive.

A package would be the simplest.

[GA-BEE]

MB, could I split one of the standard hives I have now by doing a shakedown into the TBH and let them raise another queen?

[Michael Bush]

>MB, could I split one of the standard hives I have now by doing a shakedown into the TBH and let them raise another queen?

I assume you mean the hive rasing another queen and the TBH gets the original queen. Yes that's exactly what I would do this time of year.