Talk:Top-bar hive

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[edit] Pictures

This article desperately needs pictures, I'll look for some open/free ones, but I don't know how likely I am to find any... --Kryptknight 02:20, August 3, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Wintering

I'd have to disagree with the statement in the "Location" section, about them not doing well in cold climates. I know of top bar beekeepers in Casper, WY as well as many similarly cold places, including mine here in Southeastern Nebraska. In my experience, they winter just as well as my Langstroth hives. Michael Bush 12:33, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Queen Excluders

I think it is misleading to state that there is something unique about TBH causes them to not require a queen excluder and to imply that a Langstroth hive requires one. I haven't used queen excluders in my Langstroth hives for the last 32 years. They are not required at all, in any hive and I have always found them to be counterproductive. You can do without them in a TBH for the same reason you can do without them in a Langstroth hive. The bees want a consolidated brood nest. They are not looking to scatter brood everywhere. The fact that there is the amount of drone brood that the bees require in the brood nest (due to not using foundation) does contribute to a consolidated brood nest. Michael Bush 12:33, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] KTBH vs TTBH

I don't know of any beekeepers who have tried both who have reported any difference in the amount of attachments on the sides of the hive.Michael Bush 12:33, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

My 12" wide Tanzanian had attachments all the way down, while my 17" Tanz had almost none, but they tended to build off to one side, closer to a wall, rather than centrally. My 15" wide Kenyans have very little in the way of attachments: some hives have none; some a few. I suspect that the race of bee and the local climate may have an influence, too. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.141.84.61 (talk) 17:35, 30 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Varroa Control

I'm sure it would stir up a lot of controversy to say so, but I find natural comb to be a sufficient deterrent to Varroa as well. http://www.bushfarms.com/beesnaturalcell.htm Michael Bush 12:33, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Management

Perhaps a section on Top Bar Hive management would be helpful? Of course every beekeeper uses different techniques, so staying objective gets complicated, but the three issues I would point out are:

o The need for frequent harvesting to keep space in the honey area open.

o The need for empty bars in the brood nest during prime "reproductive" swarm season to expand the brood nest more and prevent swarming.

o The need to have the cluster at one end of the hive at the beginning of winter (at least in Northern climates) so they don't work their way to one end and subsequently starve while leaving stores at the opposite end. This is easily done by simply moving the bars containing the cluster to one end and putting the bars they replaced at the other. Michael Bush 12:33, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Links

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm Michael Bush 12:33, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] A little background on External Links policies for contributors to this article

Before you add an external link to a website you like, or run yourself, you should be aware of certain official Wikipedia policies - the following is an excerpt from WP:EL:

[edit] Links normally to be avoided

" Except for a link to a page that is the subject of the article or an official page of the article subject—and not prohibited by restrictions on linking—one should avoid:

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Please be careful regarding the last two of these restrictions; I know the temptation to use WP to promote a site is strong, and even if a site includes useful information, if they SELL things on that website, then you can't link it on Wikipedia. Note the following additional excerpt from the same policy page:

[edit] Advertising and conflicts of interest

Main articles: Wikipedia:Conflict of interest and Wikipedia:Spam

"Due to the rising profile of Wikipedia and the amount of extra traffic it can bring a site, there is a great temptation to use Wikipedia to advertise or promote sites. This includes both commercial and non-commercial sites. You should avoid linking to a website that you own, maintain or represent, even if the guidelines otherwise imply that it should be linked. If the link is to a relevant and informative site that should otherwise be included, please consider mentioning it on the talk page and let neutral and independent Wikipedia editors decide whether to add it. This is in line with the conflict of interest guidelines. Note that since Wikipedia uses nofollow tags, external links may not alter search engine rankings."

The bottom line is that it's simply a matter of an official WP policy, and everyone has to play by the same rules. I had to remove several external links today when it came to my attention that people were linking commercial sites here. Please don't re-add them. You are always free to call this to the attention of an administrator if you think the policy (or my interpretation of it) is unfair, but don't be surprised if they are unsympathetic. Dyanega (talk) 21:56, 5 December 2007 (UTC)