Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => TOP BAR HIVES - WARRE HIVES - LONG HIVES => Topic started by: Carol on November 21, 2013, 02:02:17 PM

Title: Center entrance on TBH
Post by: Carol on November 21, 2013, 02:02:17 PM
I have a TBH that I want to put on a hive stand between two Langs hives. I think I need a center entrance so the entrance will be away from the other hives. Is there a problem with that? I dont have any bees in the TBH right now. Hope to have some to split or catch a swarm in a few months.
Title: Re: Center entrance on TBH
Post by: Joe D on November 21, 2013, 09:24:10 PM
Carol, I would say put the entrance where ever you want.  I have had Langs and a TBH close to each other with the entrances all facing south with no problem.  But if I wanted the TBH in the center that's where I would put it.  Good luck to you and your bees.




Joe
Title: Re: Center entrance on TBH
Post by: Robo on November 21, 2013, 09:54:24 PM
The bees don't care, but it limits you on restricting space with a follower board.
Title: Re: Center entrance on TBH
Post by: Michael Bush on November 22, 2013, 07:50:31 AM
In central FL it won't matter.  In a colder climate you want the bees to start the winter at one end, and with a central entrance they will probably start in the middle.  In a colder climate they can end up at one end with food at the other that they can't get to because of the cold.
Title: Re: Center entrance on TBH
Post by: mdax on November 22, 2013, 10:12:51 AM
Lots of people use a center entrance on TBH.  Chandler from §¤«£¿æ wrote about using one with two follower boards which also makes it easier to inspect from either side.
The current §¤«£¿æ trend seems to be using a long side entrance with a periscope opening toward one end instead of the middle...maybe talk it over with your bees and see what they'd like...
Title: Re: Center entrance on TBH
Post by: Carol on November 22, 2013, 04:46:21 PM
I'll give the middle entrance a try. I could move the langs closer together but though the middle entrance with the TBH in between the Langs would seperate the entrances more.

I have 2 follower boards....but one has 2 holes in it. I put it in when I installed the package (the big red ants chased out) to feed them.

I keep asking the bees what they want...but so far all I get is buzzzz   buzzzz. Everytime I find a flower or bush they are working...I dig some up and plant it in my yard. I have at least a dozen small stands of wild aster along the wood line of my yard. Next year I should have lots of them. My neighbor has 2 huge stands in his yard..just a short buzzz over the tree tops for the bees.