Bee keeping

[Bluebonnet]

Thank you for the link! Certainly helpful.

 

[NevadaRon]

I have a question about the top bar hives: How do you keep eggs and larvae out of the comb that you want to harvest honey from? With a Langstroth, you put a screen called a "queen excluder" between the brood supers and the honey super(s). The openings are big enough to allow workers through but too small for the queen to get through.

 

[Life is Good!]

I have a question about the top bar hives: How do you keep eggs and larvae out of the comb that you want to harvest honey from? With a Langstroth, you put a screen called a "queen excluder" between the brood supers and the honey super(s). The openings are big enough to allow workers through but too small for the queen to get through.

There are folks who've modified queen excluders to use within a top bar hive. Generally speaking though, it's not needed, as the section of the hive that you pull from is exclusively honey cells. You leave the broodnest alone.

Typically, the broodnest is in the 'front' of the hive - say from bars 3-12; bees put pollen and some honey on bars 1-2 and honey only at the back of the hive. So if you are harvesting honey, you're pulling from the back of the hive. And taking only a bit at a time. Yes, you do not get as much honey from this management style as a Lang, but you're getting a lot more comb (i.e. wax) which is useful and a saleable product as well. Some say you receive 60% amount of honey as what you'd get in a Lang. Since I've only ever had TBH's, I cannot say.

Depending on if you want comb honey or liquid determines how you process the combs.
If you want liquid - you cut the comb off the bar (returning the bar to the hive immediately), then crush the comb (potato masher works well), strain it (like for grape jelly) and bottle it - no heat involved, so there are more good things in it for your body (pollens and good bacterias). The comb wax you can melt in a solar wax melter, put into molds and sell as is, or make products from it.
If you want comb honey, you bring the whole bar into your workspace, lay the comb down on a cooling rack (kitchen store) inside a jelly-roll pan (kitchen store) to catch the drips. Cut into desired sizes. Let comb dry out and firm up for a few hours before putting into jars. Save whatever dripped into jelly-roll pan by either putting on top of comb or bottling. Done.

 

[NevadaRon]

Interesting - thanks!

 

[rehric00]

How do you keep the rain out? Do you cover it with something?

 

[rehric00]

What is a good reference book to learn about be keeping? I would like to get one but I'm sure there are tons... What is your favorite?

 

[Life is Good!]

How do you keep the rain out? Do you cover it with something?

Yes, there is a lid on our top bar hives. Because of snow-load concerns, we've got a peaked gable roof. Other folks simply use a flat roof if their weather allows it.

 

[Life is Good!]

What is a good reference book to learn about be keeping? I would like to get one but I'm sure there are tons... What is your favorite?

We were given a book at our beekeeping class - First Lessons in Beekeeping by Keith Delaplane. It's in the Dadant catalog and on their website www.dadant.com Good basic intro to bees, beekeeping and a specific management style (white boxes).

Otherwise, I've found a LOT of information at this website: http://bushfarms.com/bees.htm This is natural beekeeping - no pesticides, no miticides, natural comb sizing....the good ol' fashioned way. There is a book available - but all the information in the book is on this website, so if you're wanting a good read during a power outage, get the book; otherwise, read it online for free.

Also, the website, beesource.com is a lot like this one....great folks willing to answer questions all the time!

 

[NevadaRon]

What is a good reference book to learn about be keeping? I would like to get one but I'm sure there are tons... What is your favorite?

I like this book, and I've also heard a lot of other people recommend it - The Backyard Beekeeper - subtitled "An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden". It has been tremendously helpful to me.

 

[SunnySkies]

Fascinating thread. I'm revisiting the idea of beekeeping for next year -- my family shot me down this year, but it's ok...I have a zillion projects going -- and this has been interesting reading.

I'm interested in top bars. I doubt I can pick up a super, and I will likely be out there working bees without help.