The Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive (KTBH) is a horizontal, frameless bee hive designed for natural comb beekeeping. Unlike the Langstroth Hive, which uses removable frames with wax foundation sheets and requires a honey extractor to harvest honey, the Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive uses simple top bars from which bees build their own natural hanging comb. Honey is harvested by crushing the comb, making it the most accessible and lowest-cost hive system for new beekeepers and rural communities across Kenya.
What Is the Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive?
The Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive is a horizontal hive used at every stage of beekeeping from colony establishment through to honey harvesting. It works by housing the bee colony in a long, trapezoidal box fitted with removable bars across the top. Bees build natural comb hanging vertically from the underside of each bar. Honey is harvested by cutting comb from the bars and crushing it through a cloth or sieve. While honey yield per colony is lower than in a Langstroth system, the lower setup cost and simpler management make the KTBH highly suitable for small-scale farmers and beekeepers operating without power access or specialist equipment.
What Is the Price of the Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive in Kenya?
The Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive is priced at KSh 5,000 at Urban Beekeepers in Nairobi. In stock ā no lead time. Same-day delivery within Nairobi. Nationwide delivery available to all major towns. Payment accepted via M-Pesa and card. Urban Beekeepers takes bulk orders. Call 0797 764 747 or message via WhatsApp to discuss.
š¬ Order Now on WhatsApp ā KSh 5,000
Key Features and Technical Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Design | Horizontal trapezoidal box with removable top bars |
| What’s Included | Hive body, top bars, lid |
| Frame Type | None. Natural comb built from top bars. |
| Wax Foundation | Not required |
| Honey Extraction | Crush and strain (no extractor required) |
| Compatible Bees | Apis mellifera (all varieties in Kenya) |
| Suitable Scale | Small-scale, rural, and community beekeeping |
| Price | KSh 5,000 |
Who Needs the Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive?
- New and Beginner Beekeepers: Beekeepers entering the hobby or small-scale production who want a low-cost hive system that requires no frames, no wax foundation, and no extractor.
- Rural and Off-Grid Farmers: Farmers in areas without reliable electricity or access to commercial beekeeping supplies who need a self-contained hive system manageable with basic local tools.
- CBOs and Community Groups: Community beekeeping projects where the low cost per hive allows a larger number of beneficiaries to participate within a fixed project budget.
- Hobbyist Beekeepers: Urban and peri-urban beekeepers keeping one or two colonies for local honey consumption and pollination who prefer a natural, low-intervention hive system.
How to Use the Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive
- Set up in a shaded location. Position the Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive in a shaded area with the entrance facing away from prevailing winds. Elevate it on a stand to protect against ants and ground pests.
- Bait the hive. Apply a thin strip of beeswax to the underside of each top bar. Apply a few drops of Bee Lemon Grass oil near the entrance to attract scout bees during the swarming season.
- Inspect by removing top bars. Open the hive from the end away from the brood area. Remove top bars one at a time, holding them vertically to avoid snapping the hanging comb. Use a smoker to calm bees before inspection.
- Harvest capped honey comb. When comb cells are fully capped with wax, cut the comb from the bar cleanly. Replace the empty bar for bees to build new comb.
- Crush and strain the honey. Crush the harvested comb in a clean bucket. Strain through a fine cloth or sieve into a settling bucket. Allow to settle for 24 hours before bottling.
Care and Maintenance
Proper care extends the working life of your Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive and keeps it performing effectively season after season.
- Inspect the hive body for cracks, warping, and joint failures annually. The KTBH’s trapezoidal shape is structurally important ā a warped body allows bees to build comb that is stuck to the walls and cannot be removed cleanly.
- Replace top bars that are cracked, split, or heavily coated in propolis. Old bars can be scraped clean and re-used if the wood is structurally sound.
- Treat external timber surfaces with linseed oil or beeswax before the long rains to prevent moisture penetration and extend hive lifespan.
Why Buy From Urban Beekeepers?
- In stock ā same-day delivery within Nairobi
- Nationwide delivery to all major towns across Kenya
- Call or WhatsApp: 0797 764 747
- Trusted by commercial farmers, CBOs, and NGOs across Kenya
- M-Pesa and card accepted
Shipping and Delivery
Urban Beekeepers delivers countrywide to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Machakos, Kitengela, Kitui, and all major towns across Kenya. Same-day delivery within Nairobi. Call 0797 764 747 to confirm delivery timelines for your location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Kenya Top Bar Hive and a Langstroth Hive?
The Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive is a horizontal, frameless hive where bees build natural comb. Honey is harvested by crushing the comb, which does not require an extractor. The Langstroth Hive uses removable frames that allow comb-safe honey extraction with an extractor, producing higher yields. The KTBH has a lower setup cost; the Langstroth system has a higher yield and better compatibility with commercial processing equipment.
Is the Kenya Top Bar Hive good for commercial honey production?
The Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive is better suited to small-scale production than large commercial operations. Honey yield per colony is lower than in a Langstroth system because the crush-and-strain method destroys the comb each harvest. For commercial-scale output, a Langstroth system with a honey extractor is recommended.
Does a Kenya Top Bar Hive require electricity?
No. The Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive requires no electricity for operation. Honey is extracted by hand using the crush-and-strain method. This makes it ideal for off-grid and rural beekeeping operations across Kenya.
Does Urban Beekeepers deliver the Kenya Top Bar Bee Hive outside Nairobi?
Urban Beekeepers delivers countrywide to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Machakos, Kitengela, Kitui, and all major towns across Kenya. Same-day delivery within Nairobi. Call 0797 764 747 to confirm delivery timelines for your location.
