Bees for Development Journal 69 LETTERS

Letters Bern/lord C/ouss from Germany writes:

I am enjoying the top-bar hive articles by Pam Gregory(BfDJ 66 onwards). It is some time since we had a good debateon top-bar hive beekeeping, so Pom's series is welcome, as it willtrigger fruitful exchange. Here are my thoughts.

What is meant by 'better beekeeping'?

Does it mean that keeping bees in top-bar hives is moreprofitable than with other hive types, whether fixed-comb ormovable-comb? As Pam indicates: any hive type can be goodor even the best possible under given local conditions. In otherwords: there is no hive type that can be called 'primitive','modern1 or 'outdated'. A local technology and management canbe good and successful if adapted to local conditions,beekeepers' opportunities and limitations. Intensive observationand intimate knowledge of materials and natural resources arejust as important as innovative ideas to improve equipment andmethods.

A good bark hive beekeeper in the Zambian miombowoodlands is self-confident in the management of colonies: is akeen observer and knows about the ups and downs of floweringseasons and related swarming and occupation rates; knowsabout colony development and behaviour; and is flexible inresponse. Attending to colonies in daylight makes it possible tohandle them in a gentle (non-aggressive!) way. Beekeeperssmoke and crop selectively to achieve good quality honey, andavoid overcropping. Eventually the work is finished with somehive maintenance and pest control measures.

These elements of good colony management are essential alsofor keeping bees happy inside movable-comb hives, and forbetter results.

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Beekeeping with movable-comb hives can be better than withfixed-comb hives

However, the success is based on a more complex management.This means that frame and top-bar hive beekeepers needThorough training by experts to fully exploit the advantages ofthe systems. An untrained owner of a frame hive will gain lessprofit than an untrained owner of a top-bar hive. This is becausethe top-bar hive Is a less expensive and simplified version of theframe hive system, and designed nearly a hundred years afterDadant or Langstroth hives.

Major objectives of top-bar hives:

- to reduce the costs of hive construction,

- to 'slimline' frame hive management,

- to use less expensive, simpler equipment,

- to make bee handling easier - especially with Africanhoneybees,

- to encourage and increase wax Wproduction.

Beekeeping in top-bar hives can be better if the beekeeperfollows five essentials:

1. Accurate measurement of top-bar width.

2. Consistent application and maintenance of starter strips ontop-bars,

3. Minimum internal hive measurements and top-barexpansion,

4. Accurate measurement of entrance holes,

5. Consistent control of natural enemies, especially ants.

I will now focus on the requirements of African honeybees withregard to these five essentials.

1. In addition to what Pam mentioned about 'bee space1

32 mm is the absolute minimum width for a top-bar - butbees will tolerate 1-2 mm more. I therefore suggest toinstruct a carpenter to cut an exact width of 33 mm. Pamgave an excellent example of using 9 V batteries as ameasuring tool to give 32 mm. Add a pencil line and youhave 33 mm. You are then on the safe side in case the JJLcarpenter deviates by a millimetre in one direction or anothc^Give the carpenter a sample or any object with the correctmeasurement that must be used consistently. Top-bars withthe wrong measurements should be rejectedNB: Propolis between the top-bars has to be constantlyscraped away so that the required measurements can beretained. (See illustration overleaf)

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LETTERS Bees for Deve/opmenf Journal 69

top-bars, because these tend to expand in width due topropolisation and moisture. This makes them stick togethertoo tightly to work comfortably. It Is better to have the hive alittle longer and to provide two or three narrow filler bars toclose the last gap.

4. The width of entrance holes must never be less than exactly10 mm. It must not be more. A bigger width and the largeblack hive beetle or death's head hawk moth can enter thehive. If the beekeeper prefers an entrance slit of 100 mm orso, it should not be higher than 5 mm for the same reason.After the holes or the slit have been drilled or cut, theremaining splinters should be removed from the edges,otherwise the bees will find difficulty getting through.

5. Most absconding of colonies is caused by invading ants.Rags soaked with diesel and wrapped around suspensionwires or hive stands must not be allowed to dry out. Hivestands with their legs standing in tins of oil are a safemeasure, but care should be taken to prevent returningforager bees falling into the tins.

Finally: protect hives against hot sunlight - otherwise there willnot be any colonies to manage!

32 mm is the absolute minimum width for a top-bar

1. If top-bars are not v-shaped underneath but flat, a starterstrip for comb building of wood or straight grass stalks shouldbe provided. Wax strips are easy to make for this purpose,but have to be restored time and again, as bees chew themdown If they are not used.

Top-bars with the wrong width measurements and faulty ormissing starter strips always cause severe problems withcross-built combs - a process that eventually turns the top-barhive into a fixed-comb hive.

3. The internal hive length should be 85-90 cm,accommodating a minimum of 25 top-bars. One should notcalculate the internal hive length according to the number of

Something to add? Write to The Editor at Bees for Development or visitWorking with top-bar hives at vAvw.beesfordevelopment.org/forums.shtml

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