Introducting bee's

[summersetretrievers]

I'll be setting up a top bar hive this spring and I'm wondering what's the best way to introduce bee's to it? Package, swarm, nuc, etc and why you would recomend one over the other. Thanks.

[Michael Bush]

A package or a swarm (same thing really) work the best. A nuc works fine IF the TBH is built to take Langstroth frames also.

The problem with a nuc is what to do with the combs, which are the advantage of a nuc.

[TX Ashurst]

<to introduce bee's to hive>?

You say, "Bees, meet the hive. Hive, these are the bees."

Seriously, a package is easiest.
A nuc will give you the best start and a better chance of making surplus honey the same year, but it's more to do because you have to make your TBH compatible with the Lang. frames. If you get the size just a little wrong, it won't work.

You just have to choose your level of pain. When I started TBHs, I bought packages and they took to my TBHs without a hitch.

[likes2grill]

Would a shook swarm from a langstroth work also?

[Michael Bush]

>Would a shook swarm from a langstroth work also?

There is no real difference between a package and a shook swarm. A package IS a shook swarm.

[hummingberd]

so, if I were going to do a split from a Langstroth hive that I have, how would I do this? Someone suggested putting the Langstroth hives in sideways resting on a block with a few top bars perpedicular to the Lang frames. Would this work or is it all just hopeless?

[Michael Bush]

>so, if I were going to do a split from a Langstroth hive that I have, how would I do this?

A shook swarm.

> Someone suggested putting the Langstroth hives in sideways resting on a block with a few top bars perpedicular to the Lang frames. Would this work

No. It will result in a disaster of epic proportions. Wild comb everywhere.

> or is it all just hopeless?

If you really want to put some brood from your hive in the TBH, then make some "swarm ketching frames" to fit the top bar hive and do a cutout on a few frames of brood.

http://www.beesource.com/plans/swarmframe.htm

[hummingberd]

thanks michael. That's what I figured I'd have to do! I saw an example of this somewhere on the web. Do you have a link i could borrow? maybe it was on your website...

[hummingberd]

michael if I go this method...

1) what's a shook swarm and how do I get one

2) if I used a split do I even need brood?

thanks smile.gif

[Michael Bush]

>1) what's a shook swarm and how do I get one

You shake bees off of open brood into a well ventilated box (an open SBB, maybe a screened cover) with some stores to eat or a feeder. Either from one hive or frame more than two. You let them have a couple of hours caged up to figure out they are queenless. You introduce a caged queen to them for 24 hours or so and then you install them like a package in your hive.

>2) if I used a split do I even need brood?

If you don't use brood, how is it a split?