newbee from ohio

krista45036 · October 07, 2014, 04:54:50 PM

hello to all! joined the forum to learn before leaping :-D

My name is Krista and i live in SW Ohio. I'm most interested in natural beekeeping using a top bar hive.

have started my reading & research, and am looking forward to learning from all of you and the forum.

-krista

GSF · October 07, 2014, 10:42:30 PM

Welcome, Read, Read, Read. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Last June marked my one year mark with bees. Lots of good info on this board.

tefer2 · October 08, 2014, 08:53:50 AM

Welcome to the forum, Krista

Michael Bush · October 08, 2014, 10:34:33 AM

>I'm most interested in natural beekeeping using a top bar hive.

You might start here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnewbees.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesbasics.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesoptions.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesterms.htm

and there are all of those plus plenty more topics here:
http://www.bushfarms.com/bees.htm

krista45036 · October 08, 2014, 03:40:44 PM

thx for the welcome!

michael - i've spent more time on yr site than any other so far & i'm learning lots

krista45036 · October 08, 2014, 06:25:25 PM

spent a lot more time on 'the practical beekeeper' site this afternoon.

i am coming to some understandings, and need to test them. i get that there are 2 basic kinds of tbh: the kenyan, which has slanting sides and the tanzanian, which has vertical sides. here's my question: sounds like the tanzanian and the horizontal lang are theoretically the same, difference being the langs are standardized sizes, and a tanz could be any old size. correct?

next, sounds like the tbh needs to be more actively managed due to not being expandable ( though can be downsized internally with follower boards?). i think this management means adding top bars/frames for more brood, or more honey, or redistributing for wintering over and getting everything where it should be w/proper spacing.... am i somewhere close?

thx,
krista

Michael Bush · October 09, 2014, 09:29:31 AM

> i get that there are 2 basic kinds of tbh: the kenyan, which has slanting sides and the tanzanian, which has vertical sides. here's my question: sounds like the tanzanian and the horizontal lang are theoretically the same, difference being the langs are standardized sizes, and a tanz could be any old size. correct?

Basically yes. Some of the differences are more in how you implement it. You could make a TTBH in an odd size (not a Langstroth size) and you could build a TTBH with no frame rest rabbet and then it would not be very practical to put Langstroth frames in because of the gaps at the ends of the top bars. But the other side is that putting rabbets in is more complicated. There are ways you could get around the rabbet, but the rabbet is the best solution as it creates the right size for the frame rest (3/8" wide) for a Langstroth frame. You could do other things to cover that gap but they would get complicated if you want to keep a 3/8" wide frame rest.

>next, sounds like the tbh needs to be more actively managed due to not being expandable ( though can be downsized internally with follower boards?). i think this management means adding top bars/frames for more brood, or more honey, or redistributing for wintering over and getting everything where it should be w/proper spacing.... am i somewhere close?

You should always have all the bars in a top bar hive. If you have a follower, then you can juggle it around to adjust space, but it would go between the bars you want and the bars you are avoiding. All the bars are still in the hive.

jayj200 · October 09, 2014, 10:03:08 AM

Welcome Krista

try thees videos from

JPthebeeman

BeeMaster2 · October 09, 2014, 01:08:32 PM

Welcome to BeeMaster, Krista

jayj200 · October 09, 2014, 08:31:42 PM

Oh yes krista
there is an online library here
http://bees.library.cornell.edu/b/bees/browse.html

krista45036 · October 10, 2014, 08:47:18 AM

thx again to all.

off to the cornell online library.............

Rurification · October 10, 2014, 09:33:21 AM

Welcome to the forum! I hope your bee adventures are enjoyable!

krista45036 · October 26, 2014, 03:03:45 PM

still reading & watching videos, but have acquired 2 used TBH. hives have been in place for 3 days, and they have a little bit of old comb on some of the bars.

bees have been very active in my front garden for a couple weeks, working on some pineapple sage. there's also a fair amount of stuff still blooming in the horse pasture.

just today, i've seen bees investigating the hives! before saw only a few yellowjackets, couple flies and a black wasp...

though i dont expect bees to move in now, maybe some local bees will move in next spring. any hope of this? (i will still order package bees for spring) should i cover the entrance holes to keep everything out for the winter?

krista

BeeMaster2 · October 26, 2014, 06:28:44 PM

Quote from: krista45036 on October 26, 2014, 03:03:45 PM
still reading & watching videos, but have acquired 2 used TBH. hives have been in place for 3 days, and they have a little bit of old comb on some of the bars.

bees have been very active in my front garden for a couple weeks, working on some pineapple sage. there's also a fair amount of stuff still blooming in the horse pasture.

just today, i've seen bees investigating the hives! before saw only a few yellowjackets, couple flies and a black wasp...

though i dont expect bees to move in now, maybe some local bees will move in next spring. any hope of this? (i will still order package bees for spring) should i cover the entrance holes to keep everything out for the winter?

krista

If the bees are checking it out now, there is a good chance they will move into it in the spring. Be sure to have some Lemongrass oil ready. It is available at organic stores.
More than likely most of the insects that would move into it will be dead or dormant soon. If the opening is where mice can get into it, I would definitely close it up.
Jim

krista45036 · October 26, 2014, 07:03:15 PM

thx Jim. where should i put the lemongrass oil? thinking i might see a local swarm before i'd recv the package bees. each of the hives has 2 followers, so i can easily start more than 1 colony. unless my ignorance gets in the way :drowning:

the hives are on legs, and have upper entrance holes on both ends. however the guy i bought them from said he found a mouse in one, so maybe mice can climb the legs. tons of field mice here, and coyotes have gotten most of the local barn cats (all of mine). coyote serenade at 4:30 this morning :-P sounded like they were in the back yard!

BeeMaster2 · October 26, 2014, 10:02:48 PM

Quote from: krista45036 on October 26, 2014, 07:03:15 PM
thx Jim. where should i put the lemongrass oil? thinking i might see a local swarm before i'd recv the package bees. each of the hives has 2 followers, so i can easily start more than 1 colony. unless my ignorance gets in the way :drowning:

the hives are on legs, and have upper entrance holes on both ends. however the guy i bought them from said he found a mouse in one, so maybe mice can climb the legs. tons of field mice here, and coyotes have gotten most of the local barn cats (all of mine). coyote serenade at 4:30 this morning :-P sounded like they were in the back yard!

I take a q-tip dip it in lemongrass oil and place it in a plastic bag. I used to cut a little piece of the corner but not any more. The LGO seeps right through the plastic. Just place it in the hive.

I would protect the hive from the mice. They will urinate in it and that is not good for the bees.
Jim