Top bar hive check after 3 years with no treatments and no management!
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
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Good video phil, I have a commercial hive in my woodland that has been left alone for same amount of time, my only interference was I added an extra super last year
I have one that hasn't been opened at all for 3 years and they are doing very well the idea that they die without interference is a degree of nonsense.
Almost makes me want to keep bees again Phil!
You know you want to, Norm!
FANTASTIC,,,
I used your design to build my TBH's 4 years ago. A really great & sturdy design for sure.
Sadly, I have had zero luck keeping colonies to stay in them.
One day I hope.
Thanks for the video.
What happens? Do they abscond?
100% natural wax, honey and proplis. Very nice.
It's a shame I'm too late for this year, as I think this is the only realistic method for me to keep bees from a wheelchair - I've been soaking up everything I can find on beekeeping, and due to my physical challenges I've been paying particular attention to top bar hives. I need assistance to tame enough of the jungle in what is supposed to be our back garden before I can make space and wheelchair access though, and I'm hoping to maybe trade some work in that respect for a share in produce from what has the potential to be a useful supplement to our diet. With a few raised beds, I may even be able to manage some of it myself. I'm even living in hope that the odd sting will help with my arthritis.
My biggest concern (when the time comes) will be getting healthy, localised, survivor stock, as capturing a swarm would be impractical from a wheelchair, unless I can make their hive attractive enough for them to choose if for themselves.
Next door has conventional hives, so I'm hoping for some mentoring from him should it be necessary.
I definitely want to keep as treatment-free as I possibly can though, which is somewhat different to his practice :-(
You are not too late if you can get help with the garden, although that may be difficult right now. Swarm season here is likely to start in a week or two, so if you can get hold of even a small TBH you stand a good chance of attracting a swarm. The best bait is wax and propolis, plus a few drops of lemongrass oil and geranium oil, 2:1 mixture.
@@BarefootBeekeeper Unfortunately, I'm going to be unable to let anyone in for another 11 weeks, as I've only just started my "at risk" quarantine, and the garden is enclosed between terraces.
There's always next year, if the pandemic doesn't get me first. I think I'll have viewed every beekeeping resource on the web by then!
It's so true that the less the bees are interfered with, the better they do. So many feral colonies I follow have survived winter yet again. Many in the 4th and 5th year since I've found them. Meanwhile, people who constantly pester their bees lose them with regularity.
Are you going to harvest any honey from this colony or just let them be?
They have a lot of honey in there and the queen needs space to lay. I will probably take some for that reason.
Thank You!! This and the Zest hive is what I've been waiting for!! Watched about the Lazutin this morning. I'm planning on building a well insulated hive top bar to put out in the back 40 with a ferel colony. So glad you seen to be feeling better! Did the propolis help? Take care.
There was nothing much wrong with me, but I think a little propolis always helps!
@@BarefootBeekeeper: speaking of propolis! Would you be able to sell or know someone who would (I've already checked on Amazon and eBay, couldn't find any UK based! If you could help with that or pointing me in the right direction I would much appreciate it that Phil! -Perthshire.
Thank you Phil. Very interesting. Just one question. Could you have taken the end bar with the honey and replaced it with an empty bar if you wanted to?
I could easily have taken several bars, assuming they had more in there, as the season is just beginning and they will be bringing in much more. I will make a video about this soon.
But wait, the internet says treatment free beekeeping doesn’t work 😂😂😂
Hi Phil, thanks for that. I was wondering about adding extra bars at this time of year. Is it better to just expand the back of the colony and let the bees sort out the organisation, or would it be better to insert an empty bar or 2 at the end of the brood chamber as well as a couple at the end? Clearly the former would be less disruptive.
The best place to add bars at this time of year is between the brood area and the stores. Interleave them if possible with drawn comb.
@@BarefootBeekeeper That's what made sense to me, just thought I'd check, thanks!
Is the top bar a good hive for beginners? I'm thinking about an urban hive in my garden.
Its a good hive for beginners if you can get some training, and/or a mentor who knows how to manage a top bar hive. Most conventionally-trained beekeepers will not know how to deal with free comb and will likely make a mess of it if they are only used to handling frames.