WHY A TOP BAR HIVE?  

BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES SENSE...

It’s Good For Bees!

The most important thing to understand about Top Bar Beekeeping is that a top bar hive allows bees to make their own natural honeycomb. The pre-printed, one-size-fits-all wax “foundation” used in conventional hives is not part of keeping bees in top bar hives.

The advantages of this are:

Size:

The bees in a Gold Star Honeybees Top Bar Hive make all their honeycomb from virgin wax, and they make it the size they need it to be. Honeycomb is made one size. Brood comb is made a different size. And different bees are different sizes… Drones are big, workers are small! Bees know what they need. A top bar hive lets them do what they need to do – where they need to do it - because bees know that One Size Does Not Fit All!!!

Shape:

The trapezoidal shape of this slope-sided top bar hive allows bees to make their comb in the shape they need it to be. Using catenary curve, or “hanging chain” theory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catenary) , the bees make the comb in a parabolic shape that comes naturally to them.

Clean and Green:

Because the bees make their own wax in a top bar hive, you know it has not been recycled from used beeswax that may have been treated with poisonous chemicals and miticides. Even after being melted down and remade into fresh "new" foundation, the wax used in conventional beehives has been found to contain detectable levels of these chemicals! That’s not good for the bees, and it’s not good for you either if you eat honey taken from a hive treated in that way.

Less Stress:

The Gold Star Top Bar Hive includes a 36” long observation window in the side of the hive. This is good for bees because it reduces their stress – the beekeeper does not need to open the hive every time they want to know what is going on in the hive – they can simply open the shutter and look through the window!

Educational:

This is also quite educational for children and for novice beekeepers – to get a glimpse of the inside workings of an actual beehive!

It’s Good For The Planet!

The Gold Star Top Bar Hive is made from solid Maine pine. No plywood or other laminated products are used. The gable roof is painted for longevity, using Mythic brand paint – a non-toxic, voc-free exterior enamel that does not off-gas any carcinogenic substances. (Manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet information on Mythic paint can be found here and the Technical Data sheet can be found here.)

The glass observation window is held in place using Safecoat’s multi-purpose caulking compound. This is another product described as “not-toxic”. It does not off-gas like most other glazing and caulking products. (Manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet information on Safecoat caulk can be found here and the Technical Data sheet can be found here.)

It’s Good For The Beekeeper!

Easy to assemble:

The Gold Star Top Bar Hive comes complete. All woodenware and hardware is included. It contains detailed assembly instructions, a complete parts and hardware list, and photos of each step. It requires only a Phillips head screwdriver, a staple gun, a pencil, and a couple of hours to assemble it.

Ergonomically Friendly, so no heavy lifting!

The Gold Star Top Bar Hive stands on wide-based legs at counter-height. This has several benefits. For one thing, the beekeeper doesn't have to do any heavy liftin when working with the hive.  Its height also helps to prevent the invasion of the interior of the hive by mice, skunks, or other bee-loving rodents.

Gold Star Honeybees provides friendly and responsive “Tech Support” should you have any questions that aren’t answered in the assembly instructions. We are available by email, or by telephone at 207-449-1121. We’ll be happy to help!

So... Why A Top Bar Hive?  

Because it just makes sense!

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