Which hive to buy for a beginner??

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Which hive to buy for a beginner??
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Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 09 8:22 pm Post subject: Which hive to buy for a beginner??

Hi everyone,

I have just started a bee keeping course and am starting to explore the different types of hives available as I plan to buy them soon.

Could any of you bee-keepers out there please tell me which hives you prefer and why, and which you would personally avoid??

I was going to go with Nationals but have just been looking at the Dartington Hive and think that might be useful with the reduced lifting... I have never kept bees before, so I'll be starting from scratch with kit, as such the world is my oyster - but whatever I buy I am bound to for the rest of eternity!

Would love to hear your thoughts. TIA!

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 09 8:28 pm Post subject:
You are in a good position to explore whether you want a British typehive, such as the ones you've been looking at, or try something different such as a top bar hive

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 09 8:35 pm Post subject:
Thanks Sally! Will go off and look up top bar hives!

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 09 9:34 pm Post subject:
I'm reading a lot about top bar hives & intend to start one or two off soon. Phil Chambers site here has a wealth of info on TBH & enviromentaly friendly beekeeping generally. Only drawbacks I see with them is finding mentors locally to help the novice through the early stages but handling is easier & the bees are happier in more natural environs than a conventional hive whatever type.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 09 9:39 pm Post subject:
I like my WBC's; but I think only because I am used to them. I think they give extra insulation from temperature extremes than Nationals. However, there is more lifting involved, as you have to take the lifts off as well as the supers. I think that every bee-keeper will have a different opinion . I like the idea of having a go with top-bar hives, too, though.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 09 10:18 pm Post subject:

Chez wrote:

I like my WBC's; but I think only because I am used to them. I think they give extra insulation from temperature extremes than Nationals. However, there is more lifting involved, as you have to take the lifts off as well as the supers.

I think that every bee-keeper will have a different opinion

. I like the idea of having a go with top-bar hives, too, though.

& they are a lot more expensive (WBC not TBH).
The insulation value is overrated as they are made of much lighter timber though they are probably drier than nationals.
I started with WBCs until I had a particularly strong stock decide the space between the boxes & lifts was the best place to store honey.
Went to nationals after that.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun Feb 15, 09 10:21 pm Post subject:
Yes, I agree they're more expensive to buy new. Ours came as part of a batch of half a dozen that we bought from someone who was retiring; so it was a kind of beggars can't be choosers thing. And I grew up using them, so they were familiar.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 09 1:07 pm Post subject:

Thx everyone!

Really REALLY liking the idea of TBH. I have just downloaded the DIY plans and could knock that up in no time at all! [Thx for that great link Tavascarow!]

Love the lack of tools and the whole 'welfare of the bees is utmost' idea as I'm not actually in it for the honey - I just want to have them buzzing round happily in my garden.

Love the look of them too. Not that it really matters what they look like, but they do look nice. But hey - no frames? Result! And the best bit - NO HEAVY LIFTING!

Had already ruled out a WBC. Too much work with the lifts and the supers for me and I plan to keep my bees in a pretty sheltered spot. But the main thing is I'll be doing this myself, and the lifting is worrying me...

pricey

Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Posts: 6444

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 09 6:56 pm Post subject:
Thats a great site the barefoot one, have you watched the video of when he moves them all from the basket, Thats the hives I am going for I think.

ksia

Joined: 17 May 2006
Posts: 2320
Location: Mayenne, France

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 09 7:58 pm Post subject:
Very interesting thread, thanks to all. I'd like to know if any DS-ers have made and use a TBH? How's it going? Thanks.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 09 9:01 pm Post subject:
I'm meeting my local bee keeping group for the first time soon. I will ask if there is anyone else locally using TBHs.

beesontoast

Joined: 01 Feb 2009
Posts: 21
Location: Devon, UK

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 09 9:44 pm Post subject:

Mrs Baggins wrote:

I'm meeting my local bee keeping group for the first time soon. I will ask if there is anyone else locally using TBHs.

Take my advice - wear protective headgear!

Your local BKA may be more liberal-minded than some, of course...

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Feb 16, 09 11:12 pm Post subject:
The North Devon one has some top bar hives at their apiary, so they can't be that violently opposed to the idea.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 09 7:53 am Post subject:

Mrs Baggins wrote:

I'm meeting my local bee keeping group for the first time soon. I will ask if there is anyone else locally using TBHs.

I think BKAs tend to be quite old fashioned , conservative & slow to recognise changes (North Devon is an exception).
TBHs haven't been around long enough in the UK for them to take them seriously plus they were developed for third world use originally & many beekeepers see them as a cheap & inferior way of keeping bees as apposed to a cheap & more natural way of keeping bees.
The big equipment suppliers don't like them (although Thornes are selling them now) as not only are they a lot simpler to build thus cheaper to sell but you don't need the paraphenalia of equipment to work them & process the hive products as with conventional hives.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Tue Feb 17, 09 11:52 am Post subject:

Tavacarow - Although I am not up on Beekeeping politics (yet), I had got the impression from th guy who is running the course I am doing, that he thinks they are complete rubbish and not worth including in the course.

Hence I had to Google TBHs when they were suggested here.

I've mailed my own beekeeping group (Weald) and await their response. It may be one of shock and it may not. Either way it won't stop me using them if that's what I decide to do. There are always the boards if [read: when] I run into problems.

I watched the videos on the biobees site and I was amazed at how simple it all looked. I'm only 3 weeks into my course and dare I say... I have often wondered why it all has to be made so complicated?

Part of that is due to the guy teaching us being the waffliest old fart on the planet...

It's good to explore all the options tho, and to do so without prejudice. It's a big ole world out there and some things that are poo pooed are actually really useful.

Okay. I'm off my soap box now. LOL. I'm off to clean out my chickens and chew over where I might site my hives...

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