Hello all.
I started last year and have managed to overwinter 3 out of 4 hives. I've made most of my boxes and 'succumbed' to the bottom entrances and they've worked w/o any issues. I only use screened bottom boards and have propped up some tops as needed or used inner covers to help with ventilation. Now that I'm starting to make more boxes, including nucs and a queen castle for some breeding and queen production I've started wondering about where actually the entrance really matters. All the commercial products feature bottom entrances including 'all' their equipment whether it's nucs, 8 or 10 frame equipment. I've read several articles in here whereby people use 'top' entrances instead and they seem to work. So my questions are as follows -
1. Given that I'm using only screened bottom boards, due to the excessive heat in the summer in SC and SHB problems I've had, what's to stop me from converting to top entrances or 'holes' drilled into new boxes?
2. If I drill a hold as a entrance, do the bees need some type of 'landing board' or will them manage w/o one? What size hole should I use - 3/4, 5/8, bigger?
3. What do people do if they have a 'bumper' year and have to stack 4 or 5 supers on top of their hives? Do you add some supers with holes in them so the bees don't have to travel as far to make their nectar deposits? If so, at what point to you add this type of box - 3 supers, 4 ? Or, do you use a top entrance in conjunction with the bottom one?
4. I just made 4 nuc boxes using D Coates' set of plans and plan to use these for 'what ifs' and some nuc splits I do this year. With these 5-frame nuc plans I plan to just staple the #8 wire directly to the bottom and leave them open. Anything wrong with this?
thanks,
I started last year and have managed to overwinter 3 out of 4 hives. I've made most of my boxes and 'succumbed' to the bottom entrances and they've worked w/o any issues. I only use screened bottom boards and have propped up some tops as needed or used inner covers to help with ventilation. Now that I'm starting to make more boxes, including nucs and a queen castle for some breeding and queen production I've started wondering about where actually the entrance really matters. All the commercial products feature bottom entrances including 'all' their equipment whether it's nucs, 8 or 10 frame equipment. I've read several articles in here whereby people use 'top' entrances instead and they seem to work. So my questions are as follows -
1. Given that I'm using only screened bottom boards, due to the excessive heat in the summer in SC and SHB problems I've had, what's to stop me from converting to top entrances or 'holes' drilled into new boxes?
2. If I drill a hold as a entrance, do the bees need some type of 'landing board' or will them manage w/o one? What size hole should I use - 3/4, 5/8, bigger?
3. What do people do if they have a 'bumper' year and have to stack 4 or 5 supers on top of their hives? Do you add some supers with holes in them so the bees don't have to travel as far to make their nectar deposits? If so, at what point to you add this type of box - 3 supers, 4 ? Or, do you use a top entrance in conjunction with the bottom one?
4. I just made 4 nuc boxes using D Coates' set of plans and plan to use these for 'what ifs' and some nuc splits I do this year. With these 5-frame nuc plans I plan to just staple the #8 wire directly to the bottom and leave them open. Anything wrong with this?
thanks,