Monday, November 26, 2012

Happy to have not developed the habit


I read how many beekeepers which have kept bees in frame hives have problems with handling the fragile top bar comb. They have developed a habit of handling the comb strenghtened by the frame, wire and wax foundation which is not the case in top bar hives were comb hangs freely from a top bar.

Frame hive beeks find it problematic that bees fasten the top bar comb to the sides of the hive. Such brace comb must be detected and cut before managing the top bar comb. Such comb management needs patiance and frame hive beeks have developed a habit of taking out frames fairly fast not having to worry about it braking off.

Frame hive beeks find it irritating when bees start building cross comb and soon find themselves on the way back to keeping bees on wax foundations were bees have no other choice but to draw comb which includes one cell size (usually 5.4mm which is too big).

Frame hive beeks never had issues with collapsed honey comb. I hear of those who gave up top bar hives and went back to keeping bees in frame hives after just two seasons. Instead of finding the reason of comb collaps and fix it they give up into their habit of combs supported by frames.

I am happy to have never developed the habit of managing framed comb. I started keeping bees in horizontal Top Bar Hives and have developed the sensitivity for managing the free hanging comb.

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