vertical TBH

[Bernhard]

I like TBHs.

I really like the idea of 'nectar management'.

Since it looks like the nectar managemnet doesn't work in TBH, I think it's time to build the first (?) vertical top bar hive.

Any ideas? Anyone already tried?

Bernhard

[drobbins]

I don't have a TBH but I did run across this

http://www2.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/super.htm

Dave

[Bernhard]

It is a really nice idea,


But don't forget that the beauty of a tbh is embodied in the fact that capped combs can be removed as they are filled without having to deal with supers. I'd really like to get this nectar management working on TBH or similiar hive constructions. I like it the easy way.

What about getting rid of all the bars and frames? Just a hollow box, deeper than long (about 3-5 feet deep) - with access from the back and that's about it.

The entrance is in the upper part, so the honey will be stored lower in the box. Of course there will be honey in the upper parts, too. This is where you start nectar management in the early spring: cutting holes into the upper stores to start the bees work in the blossoms.

This will keep'em busy until cut off date passed. The box will be crowded with bees, the box get filled up with honey as it is caused by nectar management. You cut off the lower honey parts which will cause fresh comb every year in the honey area. Work done.

Will this work? Advantages? Drawbacks?

Bernhard

[drobbins]

hehe :D

you just want a hollow log with a door in it :eek:
I'm sure it could work but the advantages of moveable frames is to great to ignore IMHO

Dave

[drobbins]

Bernhard

here's what ya need dude

http://www2.gsu.edu/~biojdsx/obshiv.htm

a hollow log observation hive smile.gif

Dave

[Bernhard]

Alright mates :D

what are the advantages of mobile frames? Do I really need'em?

I need them for swarm cell inspection, to access the brood nest. But if working with nectar management - I don't need to inspect the brood nest.

What else are they good for? Requeening? Well I just put the new queen in and let themselves fight it out.

Remove old comb? Well if the brood comb gets black, I brush the bees into a new hive.

Let me think - something else I need mobile frames for? Honey extracting, yeah, but since I prefer to mash the combs and let it trickle out I don't worry about extracting honey and reusing the comb.

Probably I really go for a log-hive-style new home for me bees. I really wonder if empty comb is neccessary for nectar management or if cut out holes in the honey combs will do the same. Walt says empty frames with starter strips or plain foundation won't work. But will the holes do?

Cya,

Bernhard

[Michael Bush]

>what are the advantages of mobile frames? Do I really need'em?

You can HAVE bees (if you don't get caught) but you can't KEEP bees. Beekeeping requires the ability to inspect for brood, eggs, queens, clogged up brood nest, swarm cells, diseases etc. Without movable combs you can't do any of that.

>I need them for swarm cell inspection, to access the brood nest. But if working with nectar management - I don't need to inspect the brood nest.

You can't do "nectar managment" if you can't move the combs around to chekcerboard.

>What else are they good for? Requeening? Well I just put the new queen in and let themselves fight it out.

Not much control there. As far as I know all states in the US have laws against hives without movable combs.

>Remove old comb? Well if the brood comb gets black, I brush the bees into a new hive.

It can be done. But it's not nearly as simple.

>Let me think - something else I need mobile frames for? Honey extracting, yeah, but since I prefer to mash the combs and let it trickle out I don't worry about extracting honey and reusing the comb.

Yes, but it's much easier to brush the bees off of the combs when you can get individual combs out instead of a mess of bridged together combs.

>Probably I really go for a log-hive-style new home for me bees. I really wonder if empty comb is neccessary for nectar management or if cut out holes in the honey combs will do the same.

Yes, but you don't have access to cut out a comb in the middle of things. I've had bees in a box hive just to see how it works. Yes you can keep bees. Yes you can harvest honey. No, you can't do it efficiently. You'll kill a lot of bees and make a lot of mess and still often not get access to what you're looking for.

A top bar hive is a much better bet.

> Walt says empty frames with starter strips or plain foundation won't work. But will the holes do?

If Walt says empty frames don't work, then it won't be any different than holes.

[BWrangler]

Hi Guys,

A vertical tbh of sorts was introduced here on beesource. A English beekeeper used lumber to construct stackable sections. They were much smaller, in cross-section, when compared to our supers.

Dowels or rods were fixed for the bees to attach their comb to.

And the top section was removed by cutting through the comb using a wire which allowed removal of the whole section. Empty sections were stacked beneath those occupied by the bees. Sort of a modern bee tree.

It's a very interesting concept with some very interesting possibilities.

Anyone know where the info is here at beesource?

Regards
Dennis

[Michael Bush]

http://www.beedata.com/data3/hollow_tree.htm
http://www.beedata.com/data3/gmhive/gmhive.htm

Is this what you had in mind?