[LAndrus]

I'm all but finished with my initial TBH. Initially I drilled 6 1 inch ventilation holes, 3 on each end of the hive. I also drilled 3 entrance holes on the bottom of one end. I am now rethinking that idea and am considering filling in those and moving my entrance holes. What would you suggest?

 

[shannonswyatt]

I like side entrances near one end, it keeps the openings out of the rain, but I have a nuc with a big entrance on the end and it is doing just fine. Michael Bush leaves a gap in the bars for an entrance. The bees probably don't care.

 

[Michael Bush]

What you don't want is holes on both sides. Wind will blow right through. You should only have holes on one side. I prefer my entrance on the end. I prefer not to drill holes.

 

[Bawbby]

I have been advised to put the entrance on the side (towards the end) rather than the end to avoid cross combing. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Delta Bay]

I have been advised to put the entrance on the side (towards the end) rather than the end to avoid cross combing. Anyone have experience with this?

Sounds like someone had a bad experience with an end entrance and decided it must always cause cross combs. It's more about having good guides than where the entrance is located.

 

[Silverbackotter]

I have both end and side entrances. I see no difference in cross comb. I think guide bar length is important, as stated.

 

[Colleen O.]

I have a small nuc with an end entrance. No problems with cross-comb but they did chew the cells on that area down almost flat. I think if I had left them in that nuc they would have made holes in the comb in line with it. The side/upper end entrances they didn't do that (no need, they are in line with the beespace between the combs). It is annedoteal but what I have observed so far.

 

[Michael Bush]

>I have been advised to put the entrance on the side (towards the end) rather than the end to avoid cross combing. Anyone have experience with this?

I was gifted a Goldstar hive that has the entrance on the side (which is not where I would put it) but all the rest of my TBH have had the entrance on the end. I see no difference in cross combing. I've had none to speak of in any of my top bar hives.

 

[shannonswyatt]

I have both front and sides. My favorite hive (the bees, not the box) has a front entrance. They pull awesome comb. A smart man once said straight comb makes straight comb.