# Top Bar Hives?



## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Hi, I have wanted bees for many years and have decided to take the plunge but in my reading I have come across a system of bee keeping using not the usual hive I am familier with but one called a top bar hive.

Do any of you use them and if so are they better or just different than the standard hive?

Cheers


----------



## Jack T. (Feb 11, 2008)

We've got two TBHs. . .and they are *easier* to use than normal hives but not as easy, in our estimation, to manage.

With normal hives you can look down into the hive. With TBHs you have to actually take bars out to get an idea of what's going on.

With normal hives, you can extract honey in an extractor. . .not so with TBHs.

On the other hand. . .you can dump bees in and, basically, forget about them. Check every so often to make sure they haven't filled all the space and add bars as necessary.

One thing to note. . .the bees will attach the comb to both the bars *and* the sides of the box, so you have to have a long knife or something to cut the comb off the side of the box before you remove the bar.


----------



## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

Here are a couple of links which explain top bar hives:
http://www.bwrangler.com/bee/ttbh.htm

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm


----------



## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Some places don't allow you to keep top-bar hives. It's illegal where I am. I still thought about doing it since I didn't think anyone would check but I just went with the langstroth hive. Glad I did now as I had an inspector at my house last week. Of course, she was really just a person from the city offices and had no idea what "Langstroth-style hive" meant!


----------



## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

why is it Illegal? that sounds weird to me but what do i know right lol


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Some states require by law removable frames for inspections. 
I don't know much about top bar hive but I do see bees in things with out removable frames and they do tend to fasten the comb very well to things around the comb.

Another site for TBHs.
http://beetalk.tripod.com/beekeeping.htm

 Al


----------



## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Yep - top bar hives (or skeps, or anything other than a langstroth hive) are illegal for inspection reasons. But like I said, the "inspector" had no clue about bees at all! And laws don't need to make sense KSALguy!


----------



## GBov (May 4, 2008)

Are they illegal in all states or just some and why on earth do people need to inspect your bees????? For goodness sakes, they have been making honey for millions of years, what are they going to look for, slackers:croc:


----------



## indypartridge (Oct 26, 2004)

madness said:


> Yep - top bar hives (or skeps, or anything other than a langstroth hive) are illegal for inspection reasons. But like I said, the "inspector" had no clue about bees at all! And laws don't need to make sense KSALguy!


Madness, I'm gonna have to politely disagree with you here. Now I won't claim to know the specific laws in each state, but most states require beekeepers to have hives with removeable frames. Top bar hives fit the bill since each frame (bar) can be pulled out and inspected. Skeps, hollow logs, etc, have nothing removeable and cannot be similarly examined.

Further, in most states, inspectors are quite knowledgeable about bees and beekeeping. Sorry that your inspector is a apparently a dud.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Mostly they are looking for American fowl brood but are also looking for other problems that may cause a major problem if it were to spread.
Seems I read right here on this forum some one having a TBH and you had to have a long knife to cut the comb loose from the bottom of what ever they are placed in. 

 Al


----------



## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

indypartridge said:


> Madness, I'm gonna have to politely disagree with you here. Now I won't claim to know the specific laws in each state, but most states require beekeepers to have hives with removeable frames. Top bar hives fit the bill since each frame (bar) can be pulled out and inspected. Skeps, hollow logs, etc, have nothing removeable and cannot be similarly examined.
> 
> Further, in most states, inspectors are quite knowledgeable about bees and beekeeping. Sorry that your inspector is a apparently a dud.


Sorry I wasn't more specific in this post like I was in my first one - I'm talking about where I live, not everywhere. And like I said, the laws don't have to make sense.

The city code states:

(A) A person shall keep a colony in a Langstroth-type hive with removable frames that is maintained in sound and usable condition.​
Top bar hives are not Langstroth-type hives. The local bee club has reviewed this with the city time and time again.

And the "inspector" is actually just a person who works for the city in the "rodent and vector team". Mine was the first bee complaint she had dealt with in 25 years on the job.


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Bee complaint? Some neighbour didn't get free honey?

 Al


----------



## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

do you use some kind of queen excluder with this hive? how do you keep the brood out of the honey you plan to extract?


----------



## Batt (Sep 8, 2006)

Kmac15 said:


> do you use some kind of queen excluder with this hive? how do you keep the brood out of the honey you plan to extract?


Queen excluder is not generally needed if you will separate the brood area from the rest of the hive by at least 1 frame(Bar) of all honey. BTW, you do not extract honey from a TBH, it is almost exclusively "crush & strain". Not necessarily the most efficient method, but it has other plusses to recommend it.


----------



## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

with only a couple of hives, I use the cut comb foundation on my honey supers and use the "crush and strain" method now LOL


----------



## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

alleyyooper said:


> Bee complaint? Some neighbour didn't get free honey?
> 
> Al


A guy bought the empty lot next door and is building a fancy new house. He put a concrete mixer about 5 feet from the hives (they were right near the property line) and starting mixing. Bees got kinda mad and stung one person. The guy called it in as an aggressive hive. At least the inspector knew that was bull!


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

I just love neighbours, NOT.

 Al


----------

