Page 5 - Gold Star Honeybees Catalog 2019

The Importance of the Top Bar What matters most when choosing a top bar hive? The top bar of course! A Gold Star Top Bar sets the standard at 17 1/2” long. The bars measure 1 3/8” wide in order to accomodate brood rearing. Our full-length, beveled-point comb guide reduces cross- combing; and the ratio of weight: attachment is the best. Cross-combing is heartbreaking and can destroy your hive’s hard work. A quality top bar is extremely important for trouble-free inspections of your hive. Do not skimp in this critical area! To learn more about the Top Bar go to page 9 Rear view with roof removed View of observation window with shutter in place It’s All About the Wax ... The best feature of a Gold Star Top Bar Hive is what goes on inside the hive ... Natural beeswax, made by bees, for bees - makes for truly natural beekeeping. Honeybees make “brood comb” to raise babies in, and “honey comb” to store food in. This beeswax is made specifically for the very important things that bees do inside the hive. Sounds simple enough, bees make beeswax. That’s the way nature intended it. And bees know how to do it best. So in a Gold Star Hive, the bees make their comb naturally - and most importantly, they do it without any “assistance” in the form of sheets of embossed wax known as “founda- tion”. Learn more about why we say “It’s All about the Wax” in The Thinking Beekeeper - A guide to Natural Beekeeping in Top Bar Hives. Rear view with observation window with shutter removed The Gold Star Top Bar Hive Kit gets the GOLD STAR when it comes to easy inspections, quality construction, versatility, and in-the-field lifespan. GoldStarHoneybees.com 5