How did folk get on with top-bars last season?

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How did folk get on with top-bars last season?
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joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 14 11:43 am Post subject:

sgt.colon wrote:

What is meant by swarm please?

A swarm occurs when the colony feels it's getting too big for the available space, the colony starts feeding certain chosen larvae in a slightly different way and building Queen Cells which when they hatch will produce a new virgin Queen.

Once those Queen Cells are capped, the original Queen will leave the colony along with 50% of the flying bees to create a new colony and create space in the hive. This is known as a prime swarm.

When the new Queens start to hatch, if the colony is still congested, the first Queen to hatch will take 50% of the remaining flying bees and again fly off to create a new colony, this is known as a cast swarm.

The cast swarms will continue until its deemed ( by the hive mind) that there is enough space and the remaining Queen will kill any more Queen cells to assert dominance. She will then go on mating flights and then hopefully start laying eggs in the now depleted colony

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 14 11:52 am Post subject:
Thanks Joanne. If you think swarming is going to take place, could you not just put in another hive and hope that they move in there?

joanne

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 7100
Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 14 4:30 pm Post subject:

Yes you can and you can enhance the chances by putting in some beeswax so they are attracted by the smell, they are known as bait hives however bee's are notoriously fussy and prevention is better than trying to catch an escaped prime swarm, so you try and manage the colony by doing a split when you notice Queen cells starting to be built.

It's one of the reasons for traditional beekeepers checking their colonies on a weekly rotation because it takes 10 days before a Queen cell is capped.

People using Warre or Topbars are more inclined to let the bees do what they want with less interference - it's the more natural way

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 14 7:49 pm Post subject:
In my case it was bad timing. I should have checked them before we went away. If I had spotted it I would have tried artificial swarming and used the other half of the topbar hive. All theory of course. Circumstances and general idleness are just as likely to get in the way next time!

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Thu Mar 13, 14 9:43 am Post subject:
Thanks Joanne.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 14 7:10 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

Do you have any particular reason for going for a top bar hive Arvo? You can be hands off with a 'conventional' hive, but it does make inspection, organisation and honey removal easier. I would suggest occasional inspection to check for disease and to ensure that a swarm is not imminent. Again, with a conventional hive you can fairly readily do something about a potential swarm.

Have you worked a top bar hive? I can do all of those manipulations without even using a smoker.
There are some manipulations that are easier in a framed hive but your assumptions aren't any of those.
As you say though, you can keep bees in a leave alone way in any type of hive.
What I think arvo will find though is once he starts keeping bees he will want to know more about the bees.
One of the things I like about HTB hives is the ability to include a viewing window & see what's happening in the hive without any disturbance at all.
Great if you have kids & not something you can do easily in a conventional hive unless you build it yourself at much greater expense.
Saying all of that my HTBH which I populated with a cast last year has had a problem with the combs collapsing this winter because of the extreme gales rattling the hive.
I keep bees in national & HTB hives & hoping to try a warre hive this year but from experience so far the bees are easier to handle in a HTBH.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Fri Mar 14, 14 7:56 pm Post subject:

joanne wrote:

The most extensive study I've read is Tom Seeleys.
If you Google Tom Seeleys bait hives you will find it.
Old brood comb, the smell of propolis & lemon grass oil or citronella are all attractants but the size & placement of the hive is more important IMHO.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 6:56 am Post subject:
We tend to let our modern hives alone most of the time as they are not somewhere that swarms are going to bother people. I would suggest that a certain amount of inspection is a good idea if swarms may be a problem, and to check for disease. Foul brood is around in southern England, and having infected hives is not popular among the beekeeping fraternity.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 10:54 am Post subject:

I have to say that a lot of bee problems are caused by neglect.
Empty hives being left to their own devices, no attempt at any varroa control and people who get bees because its the 'in' thing and then cant be bothered or dont want to learn how to keep them.
I understand that everyone has to start somewhere, but having a mentor is a really good idea. I left our local club as the age range of members was very old and regemented.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 11:05 am Post subject:
Are you all registered on the beebase?

gardening-girl

Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 6024
Location: Somerset.

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 12:18 pm Post subject:
I am! I have one national. I may have a quick look inside this afternoon ,its very warm and sunny here.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 3:12 pm Post subject:
Im not, but know the local bee inspector who has been to visit a couple of times - very helpful lady. My bees got a clean bill of health, although she was concerned at the lack of forage locally (we are surrounded by maize & rape fields. They seem to do okay though....

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sat Mar 15, 14 4:33 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

We tend to let our modern hives alone most of the time as they are not somewhere that swarms are going to bother people.

I would suggest that a certain amount of inspection is a good idea if swarms may be a problem, and to check for disease. Foul brood is around in southern England, and having infected hives is not popular among the beekeeping fraternity.

The problem with regular inspection is every time you open a conventional hive you usually have to subdue it with smoke which disturbs the equilibrium of the colony for some time afterwards. Another plus in favour of HTB hives.
Much about what happens inside (including brood disease & imminent swarming) can be determined through observation at the entrance, especially if you use senses of smell & hearing as well as sight.
Read 'At the hive entrance' by Storch.
Valuable book.

mochasidamo

Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 615
Location: Montgomery

Posted: Fri Apr 04, 14 9:47 pm Post subject:

Tavascarow wrote:

Usually? Erm, no. The only advantage of a htbh can be simulated very simply using clean smooth tea-towels to keep the frame tops covered except where you are working. You can use water sprays with box hives any time it's warm enough to work them.

Please explain how you can detect foul broods from outside a hive.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Sat Apr 05, 14 6:49 am Post subject:
That's what mainly bothers me too Mochasidamo. Lorraine, I am surprised your bee inspector is worried about lack of forage if there is rape in the area. It should be coming into flower now and the bees will really go for it. It is often the main crop for our bees in the woods, although they also go onto things like bramble later in the year.

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