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Ah yes, this has gained some appeal in the US as well (we call them top bar hives). I had one for several years and it was really cool how the bees would freest

by durkie 6y ago

Ah yes, this has gained some appeal in the US as well (we call them top bar hives). I had one for several years and it was really cool how the bees would freestyle their wax comb designs (shape, period, cell size, regularity) since they didn't have the usual constraints of foundation or a frame like you find in a normal hive. Worth experimenting with as a beekeeper - a little harder to do as you said, but also cheaper.

progre 6y ago
Top bar hives, now I know what words will work when searching. In case you harvested honey, how did you extract it? I hear bare combs are hard to centrifuge as the comb breaks apart. Some people use fruit presses here.
- durkie 6y ago
  Yes, that's pretty much how you do it. Since there's no frame to mechanically support the comb during centrifuging, you pretty much have to crush the comb and strain the honey from it. Because of the lack of mechanical support, it can also make working top bar hives difficult in hot summers -- the heat is just enough to soften the wax if it's out too long, and it can really compromise its structure. Makes for a good extra challenge :)
  - saalweachter 6y ago
    I'd think you'd also have an easy time cutting it up to sell as comb honey.
    - progre 6y ago
      That style is not very popular here as our honey tend to crystalize and set very quickly. This comes down to what flowers the bees have access to, and what ratio of fructose and glucose sugars those flowers produce. I guess we get more glucose here in the north, but honey from for example accacia flowers stays runny forever. This style of honey is popular with our middle east immigrants, I guess that's what they are used to from home.
pcmaffey 6y ago
I used top bar hives for a while and now use Warre style, which is sort of a blend of langstroth and top bar. It’s frameless, but in stacked boxes, where you harvest the top box all at once (brood should be at the bottom).

by durkie 6y ago

progre 6y ago

Top bar hives, now I know what words will work when searching. In case you harvested honey, how did you extract it? I hear bare combs are hard to centrifuge as the comb breaks apart. Some people use fruit presses here.

durkie 6y ago
Yes, that's pretty much how you do it. Since there's no frame to mechanically support the comb during centrifuging, you pretty much have to crush the comb and strain the honey from it. Because of the lack of mechanical support, it can also make working top bar hives difficult in hot summers -- the heat is just enough to soften the wax if it's out too long, and it can really compromise its structure. Makes for a good extra challenge :)
- saalweachter 6y ago
  I'd think you'd also have an easy time cutting it up to sell as comb honey.
  - progre 6y ago
    That style is not very popular here as our honey tend to crystalize and set very quickly. This comes down to what flowers the bees have access to, and what ratio of fructose and glucose sugars those flowers produce. I guess we get more glucose here in the north, but honey from for example accacia flowers stays runny forever. This style of honey is popular with our middle east immigrants, I guess that's what they are used to from home.

pcmaffey 6y ago

I used top bar hives for a while and now use Warre style, which is sort of a blend of langstroth and top bar. It’s frameless, but in stacked boxes, where you harvest the top box all at once (brood should be at the bottom).