Nucleus Top Bar Hive + Window - Natural Beehive Bees

Here i have for sale a handmade Nucleus Top Bar Hive that includes an observation window on one side.  The window makes it is possible to check on progress without opening the hive and disturbing the bees.  Great for novices and experienced beekeepers alike.  The cover for the window is insulated to minimise heat loss.   

The hive has a 10 bar capacity - a perfect size for swarm catching or for use as a bait box.  Swarms make the best type of bees for use in top bar hives as their natural instinct to start building comb immediately is stronger.  Although any colony of bees can be used. 

The hive is constructed mainly from 20mm thick solid pine, some 12mm exterior ply is used for the lid and coated screws are used all over - so it will last many years!!

Approx dimensions (including lid): 

• Width - 54cm;  
• Depth - 40cm; 
• Height - 31cm

The top bars each measure 35mm wide by 17 inches (43cm) long, this width of bar is perfect for the bees to build comb and allows for bee space between combs.  Fixed in the centre of each top bar is a triangular peice of wood, this makes a stronger shape for the attachment of comb.  Five of the bars have a beeswax starter strip attached to them, this is to ensure that the bees build their comb in the same orientation as the bars (rather than building comb across multiple bars!!).   This means that there is no need to buy frames or foundation when using a top bar hive.  There are reportedly some health benefits (for the bees) of allowing the bees to build natural sized cells, as they do in top bar hives, including things like better varroa resistance.  More info on this is best found on google. 

There is a retaining bar on both sides of the hive to ensure that the top bars do not move too much when the hive is moved.  The handles are located on the sides of the hive underneath the top bar retainers.  The handles help to form a seal at the top edge to help prevent wasps etc. gaining access. 

There is a galvanized open mesh floor at the bottom of the hive covering an area 35cm by 15cm.  This helps to reduce varroa numbers and allows good ventilation, so that the bees can easily manipulate and control the hive environment as they see fit. 

There are three 20mm entrance holes in the hive, these are at the front near the bottom.  I use old wine corks to close the entrances to the hive down.

The hive is supplied untreated.  This is because the mixture of linseed oil and beeswax that i use to treat my hives stays tacky for a day or two, untill it goes off, making them a little bit messy to handle.  The hive can be finished using any product you like but i like the beeswax+linseed mixture because its natural an non-toxic to bees.  If you would like a bottle of linseed+beeswax mixture to treat you hive with... then for the modest price of £5 i can include a 250ml bottle - which is enough to treat several hives or the same hive several times.  Please request a payment total if you would like to add some to your order.

For use as a bait box i can supply you with a lure for an additional £5.  The lure contains pheremones which helps to entice passing swarms during swarm season (approximately May - July). 

This type of hive can also be placed in your garden as a 'bee friendly' habitat.  This is great for helping conserve wild honeybees because many of their traditional natural nesting sites (large cavities in trees etc.) are quickly being destroyed by changing land use etc.  Its like a bird box but for bees! :-)

If you have a strong colony of bees then you will probably need to move them into a larger top bar hive the same year.  The larger space inside will allow the bees to store plenty of honey - for themselves and for you!

Any questions please feel free to email me, i am more than happy to help.  Local buyers are welcome to pick up.  If you live outside the UK then postage costs will vary so please email me for details.  Thanks for looking!!