Top Bar Hive

Sliabh Gamh

Hi,

Does anybody sell Top Bar Hives?
Or, can anyone direct me to plans for a hive that I can give to a carpenter to build one.

I have found a few plans by searching on google, but they are all different.
I would like someone with experience that can say for definite that a particular design is working for them. Please.

St.Senan

There is a guy (Glen Bee's) in Carraroe, Galway making and selling top-bar hives.

donedeal.ie/otherfarming-for-sale/topbar-bee-hives/10340895
facebook.com/GlenBeeHive

Sliabh Gamh

Thanks. I'll have a look.

coley

Anyone have much experience of using this type of hive in Ireland?

thanks
-Coley.

hsilgnede

coley wrote: »

Anyone have much experience of using this type of hive in Ireland?

thanks
-Coley.

I have two of them but I'm only starting out. I got them off that guy in Galway mentioned above. They sat outside all winter (naturally) and there's a bit of warping going on. Nothing major but the follower boards don't sit in tight like they should which might cause a problem when the hive size decreases next winter.

If I had to start over again I'd get nationals and start with those because that's what majority are using. By going top bars I've created extra worries for myself and there's already enough challenges for a start up beek.

I spoke to an experienced guy when I did the course and he had kept top bars and said they work fine. You don't get as much honey but they are great for making bees (which is great for making splits and building up) and also you get more beeswax than you would from a national hive. And the reason I got them in the first place still holds up, there's no faffing with excluders, top boards, bottom boards and no supers and frames that need to be stored somewhere over winter.

helledevil

Hi I was wondering how you getting on with your top bar hive?