Almost makes me want to keep bees again Phil!

Good video phil, I have a commercial hive in my woodland that has been left alone for same amount of time, my only interference was I added an extra super last year

FANTASTIC,,,

100% natural wax, honey and proplis. Very nice.

I used your design to build my TBH's 4 years ago. A really great & sturdy design for sure. Sadly, I have had zero luck keeping colonies to stay in them. One day I hope. Thanks for the video.

It's a shame I'm too late for this year, as I think this is the only realistic method for me to keep bees from a wheelchair - I've been soaking up everything I can find on beekeeping, and due to my physical challenges I've been paying particular attention to top bar hives. I need assistance to tame enough of the jungle in what is supposed to be our back garden before I can make space and wheelchair access though, and I'm hoping to maybe trade some work in that respect for a share in produce from what has the potential to be a useful supplement to our diet. With a few raised beds, I may even be able to manage some of it myself. I'm even living in hope that the odd sting will help with my arthritis. My biggest concern (when the time comes) will be getting healthy, localised, survivor stock, as capturing a swarm would be impractical from a wheelchair, unless I can make their hive attractive enough for them to choose if for themselves. Next door has conventional hives, so I'm hoping for some mentoring from him should it be necessary. I definitely want to keep as treatment-free as I possibly can though, which is somewhat different to his practice :-(

It's so true that the less the bees are interfered with, the better they do. So many feral colonies I follow have survived winter yet again. Many in the 4th and 5th year since I've found them. Meanwhile, people who constantly pester their bees lose them with regularity.

Thank You!! This and the Zest hive is what I've been waiting for!! Watched about the Lazutin this morning. I'm planning on building a well insulated hive top bar to put out in the back 40 with a ferel colony. So glad you seen to be feeling better! Did the propolis help? Take care.

Are you going to harvest any honey from this colony or just let them be?

Thank you Phil. Very interesting. Just one question. Could you have taken the end bar with the honey and replaced it with an empty bar if you wanted to?

But wait, the internet says treatment free beekeeping doesn’t work 😂😂😂

Hi Phil, thanks for that. I was wondering about adding extra bars at this time of year. Is it better to just expand the back of the colony and let the bees sort out the organisation, or would it be better to insert an empty bar or 2 at the end of the brood chamber as well as a couple at the end? Clearly the former would be less disruptive.

Is the top bar a good hive for beginners? I'm thinking about an urban hive in my garden.