Top Bar Hive Ventilation

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Top bar hive ventilation is somewhat less complex than ventilating a Langstroth box hive.

A top-bar hive is a more natural hive shape. If we look at a wild hive, they arrange their combs along a lengthwise axis. 

1.Comparing A Top Bar Hive To A Langstroth Hive

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A Langstroth hive has a standard design that has a specific specification sheet for all measurements. 

2. Types Of Top Bar Hives

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Top Bar Hive With Langstroth Frames

If you want to have a horizontal hive, but use Langstroth frames, you can design a square “horizontal” hive. 

3.

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Top Bar Hive and Bee Genetics

Top bar hives typically have an entrance at one, or both ends of the box. Side entrances do not work.

4.

I personally would not recommend buying packages for top bar hives – unless you can get a package of a race which propolises well. 

5. Select Your Own, Or Catch Swarms

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ADVICE

My experience with Top Bar Hives has been limited to African honey bees and Cape honey bees – both African races. These bees need no help whatsoever in a top bar hive.

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