Cathedral Top Bar Hives - Four colonies doing well

23rd May and a standard top bar hive was shaken down into a prepared Cathedral TopHive so that each hive has interchangeable bars and can be manipulated more easily
To make ready the recipient hive two combs of nectar / honey was taken from another hive that is full from end to end. I then put in place the queen excluder to prevent her flying off after the change over. Some empty bars were placed at the inner end and away from the entrance. Close to the entrance was put foundation and the filled combs of  honey/nectar.  A void was left for the bees to be shaken into and onto the floor for the actual shake down. The queen was captured and kept safe until the full compliment of bees were in the new hive and the feed supplement and fondant put in place on top of the bars.  The gap was closed up and the insulation foil then placed on top of that before the lid was lowered.
After twenty four hours the queen excluder  was removed and the colony seen settled in although some appeared a little confused as to where their entrance was. The recipient hive placed exactly in the place previously occupied by the old hive.