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Thread: Top bar hive seduction!

  1. #11
    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rosie View Post
    ... in our climate, bees don't like to store honey beside the brood.

    ... the experience showed me that they ignore the ends of a large box and can't wait to move up into supers.
    I wonder if the bees would be more inclined to store honey beside the brood if the long side walls of the hive were warmer? What I've read about poly hives is that the queen is more likely to use the entire frame right up to the sides than in wooden hives - so better insulated walls do make a difference. If so, maybe Puff's idea of using 2" thick walls might help (as long as one doesn't want to move the hive around too much). I have wondered about that myself.
    Kitta

  2. #12

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    I described my rather negative experience with TBHs in a northern clime in this thread

    http://www.sbai.org.uk/sbai_forum/sh...-this-one-off!

    This summer I'm sawing the legs off mine and will use them as planters my herb garden! Nuff said!

  3. #13

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    Hi Jim
    as you can see you've got me into this hi tech communication at last with all its funny vocabulary,(ok when you know how.)
    However to Rosie et al I'm an ancient(in spite of this forum crediting me as a Junior) and I'm reducing my apiaries down my home apiary at the bottom of the garden (They tell me that that is where the fairies live) and I thought that would be an opportunity to try making a Dartington for the fun of it.
    Reading through some of the comments in this thread Rosie seems pessimistic; Pufff wants to have 2" thick walls( will also need reinforced concrete foundations to stand it on); POPZ has been using his as a storage box.
    Aw com on! Has some one any really useful information or experience with them before I take a trip to B&Q to get the timber.
    BenB

  4. #14
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Ben - the horizontal nature of the beast and the loss of heat surely makes these hives problematic. Why not plan your trip to B&Q around one of these vertical alternatives, the Stewarton?!

    Gavin

    PS You'll be a Junior here until you post perhaps 100 times, no matter what your age!

  5. #15
    Senior Member POPZ's Avatar
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    Ben, go for it boyo. I have emptied my TBH of bits and pieces - most of which have gone into the bin! This because I believe that nothing ventured is very little gained despite all the sucking of teeth and whistling in the wind over TBHs (not sure whether I have got that right or not? no doubt I will soon hear!)

    Anyway, after all the pessimism this has only made my decision even firmer - one horizontal TBH all polished up, a touch of linseed oil and we are raring to go. It will be interesting if nothing else.

  6. #16
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by POPZ View Post
    Anyway, after all the pessimism this has only made my decision even firmer ...
    Excellent! I like to see people going against the flow and doing it with their eyes open. Hopefully you'll report back on your experiences Popz. Write a blog on it if you have the time. Mull as a seawatching/safari centre was being heavily promoted on the radio at lunchtime today, so maybe you'll have your hands full.

  7. #17
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    And don't forget that the TBH is actually more accurately known as the KTBH, the K in the acronym standing for Kenyan so double check the latitude of Mull. Does anyone remember that TV series called Daktari? I can still bring up the theme music in my head.

    Edit.
    Wow. Someone put it on youtube

    Last edited by Jon; 29-03-2011 at 11:15 PM.

  8. #18
    Administrator gavin's Avatar
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    Oh yes! And Clarence the cross-eyed lion!

    What about a heated TBH with some sort of electric blanket business, a bit like Finman on another forum and his centrally heated Italians that do so well in the Finnish long winter?

  9. #19
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    It's terrarium heaters Finman promotes for the hostile Finnish winter. I suppose you can probably get a long one for a KTBH but anyway I have heard that most terrapins actually go commando in Kenya.

  10. #20
    Senior Member POPZ's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jon View Post
    And don't forget that the TBH is actually more accurately known as the KTBH, the K in the acronym standing for Kenyan so double check the latitude of Mull. Does anyone remember that TV series called Daktari?
    Hey Jon. Have you not heard about the tectonic plate shifts? and I guess that Daktari must have been well before my time!

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