View Full Version : How deep?
Robee
12-28-2007, 12:42 PM
My understanding is that a top bar hive should be deeper in colder climates. If I make the sides of my TBH's out if 1X12's, will they be deep enough for the winters in Virginia?
Thanks in advance,
Rob
buckbee
12-28-2007, 01:03 PM
My understanding is that a top bar hive should be deeper in colder climates.
Do you have a reference for this? I don't think I have never heard this stated: it could be true, but I would like to know what it is based on.
Robee
12-28-2007, 01:21 PM
http://www.bwrangler.com/bee/tdes.htm
Like I said, "My understanding."
His hives are deeper than most designs that I have seen on the web too.
Any sugestions would be helpfull to this newbee.
Rob
Climate will influence hive designs, Dennis has deep hives and long cold winters. His design worked for him in Wyoming, this does not mean the same design will work for you. If you are following a common sense approach such as your winters are similar to his then by all means use Dennis' plans as a starting point. There are no set rules, Dennis follows the bees and what they seem to be doing or want. There are so many other influences on the colony which determine what the ideal volume is that only through trial and error will you come up with works for your bees. As Phil said there has never been a correlation between TBH depth and over wintering ability. If you are lucky enough to have an experienced TBH beek near you you could pick his/her brain, if not you'll just have to blaze the trail yourself.
Good luck!
BWrangler
12-28-2007, 08:38 PM
Hi Guys,
Some of my observations about comb height are based on my comb measurements in tbhs with shorter comb. And also looking at height to width ratios on natural, free hanging comb drawn in the open.
You've given me an idea for another test. Since, I'm now in Florida, it might be a good time to build two top bar hives with a shorter comb. Using 1' x 6"s, build a tbh one board high, and another two boards high. I've got measurements from a tbh three boards high.
When I figure out where and how to run bees here, it would be a good test.
Regards
Dennis
Jon McFadden
12-29-2007, 03:21 AM
Hi Dennis,
Scott McPherson had a simple design he and I discussed to great length. His design was based on 1x12's. He would use 2ea 1x12's for the sides and a modified 1x6 for the bottom. The 1x6 was beveled to some angle around 29 degree (I use 26 degrees).
Scott kept KTB hives in Florida before moving north to Iowa.
There are a couple of links to my KTBH here:
http://nordykebeefarm.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=6
Jon