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Author Topic: Comparing Production in TBH  (Read 3707 times)

Offline ArmucheeBee

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Comparing Production in TBH
« on: October 05, 2009, 11:54:15 pm »
For those of you who have had both Langstroth and TB hives for several years.  Do you see in differences on honey production going horizontal instead of vertical?
Stephen Stewart
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Offline Robo

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Re: Comparing Production in TBH
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2009, 06:52:34 am »
Yes,  all 4 of the TBH I had were less productive than the Langs in the same yards.  Seems like I had to continue feeding them every winter and after 2-3 years I gave up on them.  Your mileage may vary.
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Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Comparing Production in TBH
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2009, 04:24:55 pm »
That stinks.  What if you had entrances at more than one end, like along the sides, so the bees did not have to go from the front to the back to add honey/pollen?  I know some on the forum have high entrances on their Langstroth hives and claim more production.
Stephen Stewart
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"You don't need a license to drive a sandwich."  SpongeBob Squarepants

Offline Robo

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Re: Comparing Production in TBH
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2009, 04:41:07 pm »
I had multiple configurations,  from at the top near the top bars to at the bottom and on both sides of the nest.




And also on the bottom in the end

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Offline David LaFerney

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Re: Comparing Production in TBH
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2009, 05:26:00 pm »
Robo - what brand of bees did you use?  Do you have a theory as to why the hive would make them less productive?
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Offline Robo

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Re: Comparing Production in TBH
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2009, 07:17:50 pm »
Robo - what brand of bees did you use? 
My own feral stock
Quote
Do you have a theory as to why the hive would make them less productive?
Pure speculation,  but I believe it is easier for them to maintain a vertical nest and work up and down combs  than traversing across them.  I know the winter cluster moves vertical much easier than horizontally.   It just seems more practical for them to keep a vertical brood nest warm, since heat rises, than a horizontal one.
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Offline David LaFerney

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Re: Comparing Production in TBH
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2009, 08:26:32 pm »
...It just seems more practical for them to keep a vertical brood nest warm, since heat rises, than a horizontal one.

It makes sense I guess.  It's certainly closer to the shape of a hollow tree.
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

Putting the "ape" in apiary since 2009.