Went out to do a hive check today on my top bars (2 hives) and I have a problem in both. The bees have connected the bars together. This only is happening on one side of the bars. It actually looks as though on one side of the bar they are building up seperate combs on both sides of the bars instead of down the middle. But on the other side of the bar - it is fine. Any ideas what my problem is? I hope I made is clear as to what I am talking about. Thanks.
Remove those bars. It may cost the bees some work but do it now before a bigger mess is made. Replace them with some bars with either starter strips inserted in the middle or make a good wax bead down the center of the bar.... Here is what mine looks like...
http://hh-farms.com/bees/topbar/
My bars are 1 3/8 inch and they've done just fine. If they're building comb, check the width of those bars. If they're 1 1/2 inches or bigger, replace them.
I'd make some frames and tie any brood combs into the frames. Harvest the honey thats on the bad combs. I have the best luck with 1 1/4" wide bars in the brood nest and 1 1/2" in the honey area. The bees tend to cheat every bar over to 1 1/4" anyway for brood and cheat them bigger for honey.
Thanks for the replies. My Top Bars are 1 3/8". So what do you think my problem is? I thought maybe my problem was a couple things. At first since the same thing is happening on both of my TBH's - I thought maybe something is wrong with my design. Is there any problem with 1 3/8" bars? I also thought that maybe when I coated the started stips - I left some drips of wax - and maybe this caused the bees to start working comb off of it? Anyway - it only seems that it is happening on the one side of the bars - any idea why?
So should I switch size of the bars? and would this solve my problem? and has anyone else had this problem? Thanks.
I did a search as to the problem I am having and ran accross this article. http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/info/info/topbar/better-beekeeping-in-topb-5.shtml
The last paragraph sounds like the problem I am having - and points out that the problem is spacing.
Wow, I am going to have to check out beesfordevelopment.org further.
Here is an article that may be usefull for times when you really need to locate the queen:
http://www.beesfordevelopment.org/info/info/managing/finding-queens-quickly-th.shtml
Just a last minute thought...did you put a bar 3/16" longer on each end or a 3/16" shim or spacer. That might throw your spacing off just enough to get them do draw off center and end up drawing comb between the bars on one side.
The secrets to straight comb, other than the obvious (a comb guide or a starter strip) are correct spacing (the bees space brood 1 1/4" and honey wider) and a straight start. Usually they will follow a guide for the first comb and once they have a straight comb they tend to repeat that. If they do wander it's then an accumulating amount of curve to the comb or a little further over each comb. A spacer will fix the cheating a little every comb, but it's hard to straighten a curved one. Feeding an empty bar between two drawn brood comb is a nice way to get straight comb.
Once they are crooked, then it's a matter of setting it straight again. A straight comb is the best solution. A frame is a way to FORCE a straight comb. If you tie an existing comb in a frame and put it straight in the hive, then they have a "guide" to work from.
Some bees just get a wild hair and go any old way at all.