Hello Bob and others.  A few comments:
 
On Mon, 18 Nov 1996, Bob St. John wrote:
 
> The top bar hive is an inexpensive system to get started. I can't imagine
> anyone abandoning their standard hives and switching to top bar hives.
 
I did.  But I'm only a sideliner with 25 colonies.  Sold my "Langstroth"
stuff to a fellow beekeeper in the county beeclub and...I'll never go back
to conventional hives; however,  I don't think that commercial beekeepers
whose aim is to produce tons of honey and make money will find tbh's of
much interest.
 
> They are good for third world countries or someone wanting to start on a
> shoestring or someone who wants to experiment with something different.
 
Yes, correct on all three counts in my opinion.
 
> The comb may not get attached if the frames are inspected often but I suspect
> that one will have trouble removing a frame if they are left for a season in
> good honey flow.
 
Nope, even in my "Modified Tanzanian TBH's" I only find moderate comb
attachment during heavy honey flows.  Besides it's no problem.  I use a
thin hive tool I've made from a 12" shelf bracket to cut it loose.  I've
even taken a camp stove, heated a pot of water, and heated my hive tool
to see if it makes it easier.  Doesn't help that much, and it does get
melted wax on a bee occasionally...but it's nice to have a clean hive tool
also.  With no stove, I just push the tool into the ground and clean it
off. If I have any cross-bridging of comb on my surplus bars, or if a comb
breaks while getting it out of the hive...no problem.  Brush the bees off,
dump it into the pail, then eventually press all of the honey out, wash
the pressed comb off, then...into the solar melter.  Any problem with a
comb????....into the solar melter!
 
> I believe that the less stress one gives a colony by opening the hive and
> taking out frames the better and the fewer queens one will lose. Listen to
> a hive often but open them seldom.
 
Yes, and I think working a tbh is far less stressful than a conventional
hive...less stressful on the bees *and* me.
 
But I think there's an exception to the last statement.  A beginning
beekeeper should listen to the hive, watch the bees, and open the hive
very, very often in my opinion.  Sure he/she may get less honey, but it's
the learning that comes with doing that is so important in the first few
years...or with me, over my lifetime.
 
Bob, I enjoy your posts.  Best wishes to you and all on BEE-L.
 
Cordially yours,
 
Jim
 
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  |  James D. Satterfield        |  E-Mail: [log in to unmask]       |
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