From: "huestis" <buzzybee@capital.net>
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2001 23:16:51 -0700
To: <BiologicalBeekeeping@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: Re: opening size

Hi Dee,

> I myself don't think so!. Many times you can walk through a bee yard
> and see
> bees working out the small hole in the side corner or back of a
> hive between
> two supers and not using the entrance in the front. Yet the hive
> is found to
> be strong and prosperous.

True. That was the UNLESS part in previous post.

> Because like other things that fly (airplanes for instance), it is the width
> and not the height for the landing here concerning the hive.

I agree to a point. See below.

> another), so the little extra height only lets in predators

Yes it could. Mostly in the 1 inch or more sizing (I use 3/4 inch). I have
often seen bees entering on bottom board and bees leave by crawling out the top of the enterance onto the hive body then taking flight. Kind of a two
way street. Also 3/4 inch I feel helps cool down hives in summer (in NY,
opposite for you). My bottom boards are reversable yet I rarely do this.

Dee do you use top enterances? Drill holes in hive bodies?

Clay