In short, when your top bar hive has only one or two empty bars remaining, you need to add more space. The standard practice is to move the follower board down and insert two new empty top bars next to the last drawn comb. This gives the colony room to expand and helps prevent swarming.
Managing a top bar hive isn't about reacting to a full hive; it's about proactively adjusting the available space. The follower board is your primary tool for controlling the hive's internal volume, allowing you to expand during a nectar flow and contract for winter.
The Principle of Dynamic Space
A top bar hive is designed to be a flexible environment. Unlike a standard Langstroth hive where you add entire boxes, you provide space incrementally, one or two bars at a time. This management style is centered around one key component.
The Role of the Follower Board
The follower board (sometimes called a divider board) is a solid board shaped like a comb profile that sits inside the hive. Its job is to define the boundary of the colony's living space.
The bees will treat this board as the back wall of their hive, building comb up to it but not beyond it. By moving this board, you can precisely increase or decrease the volume the bees must manage.
Why Constant Adjustment is Critical
If the bees run out of space, their natural instinct is to swarm. By ensuring they always have a couple of empty bars to work on during a growth period, you signal that the hive is a viable, expandable home.
Conversely, too much space is inefficient. The bees must patrol and thermoregulate the entire cavity, which can be stressful, especially for a smaller colony or during winter.
Managing Your Hive's Growth
When you see the bees are starting to work on the last one or two empty bars, it is time to act. This process should be done during a nectar flow when the colony is actively gathering resources and expanding.
The Step-by-Step Process
- Gently smoke the entrance of the hive and wait a few minutes.
- Open the hive lid and locate the follower board.
- Carefully slide the follower board down the length of the hive, creating a gap large enough for two new bars.
- Insert two empty top bars into this new space, directly adjacent to the last drawn comb.
- Ensure all bars are pushed together snugly to maintain proper bee space and close the hive.
Understanding the Trade-offs and Best Practices
While adding space is straightforward, proper management requires understanding the potential pitfalls. Your goal is to support the colony's natural rhythm, not hinder it.
The Risk of Adding Too Much Space
Never add more than two or three bars at a time. Giving the bees a vast, empty space can break their sense of cohesion.
This excess volume becomes difficult for them to patrol for pests like wax moths and requires more energy to keep warm, potentially slowing brood production.
The Importance of Reducing Space
After the final honey harvest, the nectar flow ends and the colony's focus shifts from expansion to winter survival.
You must reverse the process by moving the follower board back toward the entrance, shrinking the hive cavity. This reduces the area the bees need to heat, conserving their energy and honey stores through the cold months.
Safe Comb Handling
When inspecting, always be mindful of how the comb is handled. The new, delicate white comb is especially fragile.
Before lifting a bar, use your hive tool to gently detach any comb that the bees may have connected to the hive walls. Always keep the top bar oriented vertically, just as it sat in the hive, to prevent the weight of the comb from snapping it off the bar.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
Your actions should always be aligned with the season and the colony's current needs. Proactive monitoring is the key to success with a top bar hive.
- If your primary focus is colony growth (Spring/Summer): Proactively add one or two bars once the bees begin working on the last available empty bar.
- If your primary focus is winter preparation (Autumn): Systematically remove empty bars and move the follower board to shrink the hive down to the size of the bee cluster.
- If your primary focus is a routine inspection: Handle every comb with care, keeping it vertical, and always check for wall attachments before lifting a bar.
Ultimately, mastering the follower board allows you to guide your colony's success throughout the entire year.
Summary Table:
| Action | When to Do It | Key Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add 2 Empty Bars | Bees are working on the last 1-2 bars (Spring/Summer) | Follower Board | Prevents swarming, supports colony expansion |
| Reduce Space | After final honey harvest (Autumn) | Follower Board | Conserves energy for winter survival |
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