ENTRANCE SIZE

[BULLSEYE BILL]

I have been making SBB's with the original intent of not having lower entrances or landing pads, using top entrances only. But after reading conflicting opinions on another thread I decided to make some limited egress in the SBB's after all.

In the first ten SBB's I made, I drilled six 3/8 holes. My thought was that with the upper entrances six holes would be enough for dragging out the dead and light housekeeping.

My inspiration was looking at a stainless steel mouse guard Swiss cheesed with 3/8 holes.

My question is how many 3/8 holes would be needed if you do NOT use an upper entrance?

Thinking, if I used enough 3/8 holes, I would not have to use mouse guards. (Or forget to install them.)

[ January 09, 2007, 12:31 AM: Message edited by: BULLSEYE BILL ]

[Dave W]

BULLSEYE BILL . . .

Do 3/8" holes provide enough room for "dragging out the dead and light housekeeping"?

Are "we" making assumptions? smile.gif

Guess we need a "scientific" study. smile.gif smile.gif

[Billy Y.]

Also got to remember those drones and queens need to get in and out on occasion.

[hrogers]

Howdy Billy --

I use standard bottom converted to # 6 screen and a 3/8" entrance year round. Telescoping cover with ventilation notch in inner cover furnishes good ventilation to reduce moisture.
Have never had a mouse problem. But this is in
SW Arkansas.

Doc

[power napper]

We made our screened bottoms all 3/8 full opening, had them closed with 3/8 cleat last year. This winter we removed the full and installed a reducer entrance for winter--1 inch wide opening and reduced the top full width 3/8th entrance to a two inch wide opening.
We have not had a mouse enter into a 3/8 opening so far.

[Michael Bush]

I'd be interested in your observations after you try them. My bet is that if the top entrance is the main entrance they will haul them up there to take out the dead anyway.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>Are "we" making assumptions?

:confused: The holes in the stainless steel mouse guards I have are 3/8. The reversed side of reversible bottoms are 3/8. Standard bee space is 3/8.

If you doubt that it is large enough, I would sure like to know your reasoning before I make too many of these.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>Have never had a mouse problem. But this is in
SW Arkansas.

Oh I bet you have just as many mice as we do, I know of one rat that came out of Rkinsaw. ;)

I had a mouse chew it's way into a hive with a 3/8 opening, and I know that they can walk right though 1/2" hail screen. But your right that 3/8 slot will generally keep them out.

[Dave W]

>>Are "we" making assumptions?

You are correct mouse guards have 3/8" openings, BB entrance can be 3/8" high, and std bee-space is 3/8".

I'm not sure how bee-space is important to this discussion, but I have seen (hear and read) bees removing the dead via the long slot (14-3/4") that’s 3/8" high when the BB is reversed.

Is it an assumption that bees pull other bees through a 3/8" dia. HOLE?
I'll bet it hard to do, especially if it's a "tunnel" that's 3/4" long. smile.gif

Just a thought.