Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: jeremy_c on June 10, 2009, 10:15:22 AM

Title: Makeshift Top Entrance. a bit worried about it
Post by: jeremy_c on June 10, 2009, 10:15:22 AM
I put on my first medium super yesterday. The local beek store said that I should provide an entrance above my brood box (I am using a queen excluder on this hive) and I agree, however, they said just take two small sticks and put in the front two corners on top of your queen excluder and then set your medium super on top of that. Thus, the front of the hive has a crack between the queen excluder and medium super that the bees can come and go from.

I did it, but I am not too sure about it. With that much opening, will they have problems with robbing, with keeping things warm enough in the evening, etc... ? How would you do an entrance above the queen excluder but below the top medium super?

Jeremy
Title: Re: Makeshift Top Entrance. a bit worried about it
Post by: Kathyp on June 10, 2009, 10:21:28 AM
i wedge the top cover.  it's just easier for me.  if it looks like they might have a robbing problem, i wedge the migratory cover, but leave the inner cover down.  if they are not having a problem, i put a wedge under the inner cover.  i use 1 very small stick or piece of wood.  you do not need a  big opening.
Title: Re: Makeshift Top Entrance. a bit worried about it
Post by: utahbeekeeper on June 10, 2009, 12:12:37 PM
Kathy is correct . . . a top entrance ought to be at the top . . . for ventilation as well as for some foragers to enter super directly.