[jbeezs]

would like to drill a upper entrance in hive.i am asking for opinions on where to drill the entrance.will use a 3/4 or 1inch hole saw.thanks for your replys.

 

[RayMarler]

I drill 3/4" hole in front face of box, approximately 1" below the hand hole cutout.

 

[BGhoney]

I use 3/4 also. For ventilation a 5/8ths hole would work. I put 2 3/4 holes in all my supers, on both sides of the hand holes. The bees can fly straight in without having to go all the way up inside the hive, it might delete some congestion in the hive, there small enough to not start robbing.

Just don't put any holes to high up or you lid could cover them if you use a telescoping.

 

[sdracer12]

If a beek wanted to close off those upper entrance holes for any reason after drilling a 3/4 hole in the box, would the plastic caps they use to cap hydraulic line ends work? They are semi-flexible colored plastic and slightly tapered and I would think they would just push in? I am guessing the bees would propolize the inside sealing them up nicely. Am I off base here?

 

[Cedar Hill]

IMHO Drilling holes in hive bodies is not advisable at all. Note what "sdracer12" wrote. Once drilled open, the hole will some day have to be shut. Supers are used front wise and backwards etc. You are making a permanent front for that super. Far better to just move your inner cover back an inch or so and allow the bees to use that as a top entrance. You could also move your top cover at a slant over that open space to protect it from the rain. Drilled holes in super a long time ago, they have had corks (now painted over) for 50 years. OMTCW

 

[RayMarler]

I don't use inner covers with telescoping covers. I use migratory covers, made from plywood. The 3/4" hole can be front or back or both, don't matter, I myself chose front. It can be plugged with any 3/4" plug, be it plastic or cork or wood stick or duct tape. Bees will close it if they want but I've not had them do that yet, they seem to like them and use them. From what I've been seeing, I may just stop using a full open entrance and just use holes instead, the bees seem to really like them.

 

[Ross]

I just put a twig under the corner of my migratory tops. Makes a quick easy top entrance.

 

[fish_stix]

Some of us live in areas with HEAVY rain storms. Can't leave the lid back, unless you want to run to all your yards every afternoon and close them up. We drill 3/4" or 1" holes. If we need to close them it's a simple matter to staple a piece of window screen over the hole. And, the bees don't care whether it's a front or back door, but we try to place them on the front!

 

[NasalSponge]

I always used steel wool to plug mine, simple, quick, no tools needed, and leaves ventilation intact.

 

[BEES4U]

CapPlugs work and so do one gallon jug closure caps

Ernie

 

[Ross]

Propped tops are not a problem in rain. Actually, sliding them back really isn't either. The rain runs down the inside wall and out the bottom. Mine are on SBB, but if you have solid bottoms, they need to be tipped forward anyway. The bees really don't care. With the top vented, any moisture quickly dissipates.