# Pros And Cons Of Topbar Hives........



## Hee Haw (Mar 23, 2006)

The earlier post of interest on top bar hives made me wonder the pros and cons of top bar hives.Here is afew links that list more info.with pictures and list pros and cons of topbar hive beekeeping. If you find other interesting links,you may want to add them to this post. It is more detailed than I thought,I find it interesting,but the less honey part was not to selling,but you can defently see the bees more up close and personal,and no more heavy lifting of brood hives on reverals.Nearly impossiable to move hive,with no wire support in the foundation frames. What you think?

http://outdoorplace.org/beekeeping/kenya.htm

www.beesource.com/eob/althive/tromp/index.htm

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


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

All the honey harvest has to bee cut comb or crush the comb, making the girls always build new comb.

 Al


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## Hovey Hollow (Apr 25, 2005)

My reasons for wanting to go with a top bar hive:

1. less expensive--easy to build yourself. I probably have most of the lumber I need laying around the barn

2. Simple--reading about all the parts of a Langstroth hive makes my head spin!!! 

3. Educational--from what I understand so far (I'm still in the information gathering stage) it is more important to understand bee biology to be able to work these hives. The model I am building has an observation window. 

4. Easier to work. Since you are not dismantling the hive to collect honey you don't disturb the bees as much. Many TBH keepers do not use gloves, bee suites, etc. Just move slow and easy. The comb is more fragile because it isn't framed in which makes you work slower, but then you also are less likely to disturb and stress your bees. 

5. Comb honey. While many people list this as a con, I like the idea of collecting beeswax and or comb honey. 


OK, here's my concession. I admit TBH's probably aren't efficient or productive enough for a commercial honey opperation. I'm not looking to sell honey. I want enough to use for my family. Enough beeswax to play with making candles or maybe learning to make lip balm or some other products. But the key word there was PLAY. I want to watch the little critters at work and I want my kids to get the educational experience of watching them as well. I want the bees to pollinate my garden and fruit trees. I'm not in it for the big time. I want a couple of hives. AND I WANT TO DO IT MYSELF!!


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## Hee Haw (Mar 23, 2006)

There you go Hovey, Sounds like TBHives would fit your bill. I think I would like one as well to go with my standard hives. I think it would be more interesting,to see them in all different phases of the hive at one time as a whole.Up close and personal.


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## dcross (Aug 12, 2005)

Con: You get less honey.

Pro: You can build ten of them for the same cost as a Langstroth and wind up with more total honey/$. You also get more wax, which is valuable.


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## Haggis (Mar 11, 2004)

dcross said:


> Con: You get less honey.
> 
> Pro: You can build ten of them for the same cost as a Langstroth and wind up with more total honey/$. You also get more wax, which is valuable.


Aye, one does get less honey, but how much does a crofter and family really need for a yearly supply? Being that one is not making mead with the surplus, mead to be for medicinal purposes naturally.

On the cost of building Top-Bar hives, that could easily be labor only if a would be bee-keeping cottager is creative, and the wax might be sold to pay for the next year's bees.


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