Deciding which type of beehive is best to use?
I have heard that top-bar hives are better than standard hives. Please can you tell me why this is, and also how top-bar hives differ from Langstroth hives?
Self-sufficiency expert Janet Luke, has been keeping bees in topbar hives for over seven years.
The bees build naturally shaped honey combs that hang down from wooden boxes placed across the top of a wooden box. Honey is harvested by lifting out the combs one bar at a time.
The amount of honey produced is less than in conventional Langstroth hives so top-bar hives are not used by commercial beekeepers.
However they are easy and convenient for small-scale backyard beekeepers to use.
‘‘I love top-bar hives because I can make them myself out of recycled wood, there is no heavy lifting involved and you don’t need a large area in which to store extra hive boxes or frames,’’ Janet says.
‘‘Plus, other than the hive, bees and a protective veil or suit, no other expensive equipment is required.
‘‘Bees will build their own unique comb which is free from harmful chemicals.
These facts make top-bar hives perfect for a hobbyist beekeeper who wants to keep one or two hives in their backyard, organically and in a bee-focused way.’’
Videos with step-by-step lessons on how to build a top-bar hive are available from Janet’s website: greenurbanliving.co.nz.
Langstroth hives are the wellknown stacks of boxes containing sliding frames with a foundation of wax where the honeycomb is formed.
The bottom box where the queen lives is called the brood chamber.
The upper boxes are called supers and contain the honey.
The frames need to be built to specific dimensions, so are a bit harder for a home DIYer to construct.
Also, a super full of honey is heavy to lift.
On the other hand, Langstroth hives and equipment are readily available and are straightforward to use.
The National Bee Keepers’ Association of New Zealand has branches nationwide and a wealth of information on their website (apinz.org.nz).
The bees won’t mind which you choose!