Dennis said:

> The dynamics of how the bees utilized the space in the topbar hive as the
> colony needs and food availability changed was quite interesting. At
> times the bees would expand comb building more horizontally, then
> suddenly shift and fill comb vertically.
>
> It quickly became apparent that comb building was much more complicated
> than I had anticipated. The nest was not as random a structure as I
> thought. The bees were able to effectively utilize the space and put what
> kind of cells and comb just where they wanted them. If food resources or
> other colony needs like producing drones before swarming changed the comb
> building priorities, the bees would shift the comb building activity to a
> different location and then return later to finish work that had been
> started in other areas.

I've been making the same observations in my TBH's.  Some patterns that have
evolved seem to mirror what I've seen in older Langstroth combs.  In
particular, smaller (worker/honey) cells seem to be drawn first (at the
top), and as the comb nears completion (vertically) there tends to be a band
of drone cells toward the bottom.  When the drones vacate the cells, they
seem to be filled with honey shortly thereafter.  The drones and drone cells
seem to be of slightly larger size than my Langstroths (?).  I haven't
noticed any difference in worker size, though now I will pay a bit more
attention.

I've also noticed that my TBH's draw very straight comb (much straighter
than my Langstroth's on foundation).  I have laid down under my TBH's and
watched through the varroa screen - fascinating.  The way the bees draw comb
seems quite different than with foundation.  Rather than working in a narrow
vertical mass between sheets of foundation, they tend to form a large ball,
covering three or four top bars at a time, working vertically.  The shape of
the emerging combs is like bleachers; staggered in size with age &
development.  It also seems that the bees will draw comb more willingly from
a top bar as opposed to foundation (although that may be my imagination). In
all, the TBH comb building seems much more logical and orderly than on
foundation.  My thinking here is that the bees can communicate much more
easily without sheets of foundation in the way.

I read warnings about not letting the queen get "honey bound", so early in
the season manipulated two of my four TBH's, inserting open top bars between
the brood nest and the first obvious honeycomb.  After a month, I can see no
difference in colony size between those manipulated, and those not.  In
fact, it appears that the hives that I have "left the hell alone" seem to be
doing a little better than those I've routinely inspected, etc.  The bees
seem to know much better than I where everything belongs...

Regards,

Todd.

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