From: "Dave Cushman" <dave.cushman@lineone.net>
Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2002 11:02:41 +0100
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: What do bees want?

Hi Barry & All

In UK our square hives can be placed with entrances parallel or
perpendicular to frames.

In populous colonies this makes no difference (I tested this a lot in the
late 1970s).

However in colonies where bees are lower in numbers due to a developing
swarm, a 'split', a nuc or using long lived strains that have smaller total
numbers of bees. Then the parallel placement gives the bees an edge in a
defensive situation.

However they may chew the bottom third of the frame nearest the entrance.
This looks untidy to the beekeepers eyes, but is only the same effect as the
rounding of comb corners nearest the entrance in perpendicular placement.

Best Regards & 73s... Dave Cushman, G8MZY
Beekeeping & Bee Breeding Website...
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman