ventilation opening

[FRAMEshift]

I was reading "The Hive and the Honeybee" (1992 edition) on the subject of ventilation.  There was not much info about it.  Just that you should drill a 3/4" hole in an upper hive body.  That seems to agree with what I've read on this forum.  But the book also emphasized that the ventilation hole should be on the front (entrance side) of hive.  I haven't heard that before.  Is there a reason for the vent to  be on the front?  I would think you would get better cross-ventilation of the entire hive if it was on the opposite side from the entrance.

[luvin honey]

I was reading "The Hive and the Honeybee" (1992 edition) on the subject of ventilation.  There was not much info about it.  Just that you should drill a 3/4" hole in an upper hive body.  That seems to agree with what I've read on this forum.  But the book also emphasized that the ventilation hole should be on the front (entrance side) of hive.  I haven't heard that before.  Is there a reason for the vent to  be on the front?  I would think you would get better cross-ventilation of the entire hive if it was on the opposite side from the entrance.

I actually vented on the side. Just drilled about a 1/2" hole in the side. I didn't want it in the front, as you mention it doesn't seem to "draw" air that way. And I didn't want it in the back where it would need defense while the hives were building up. Plus, I was concerned that would create too much draw. On the side seems to be working okay. One hive IS covering it with propolyis, though.

[MeadFarm]

There is a beemaster here in Sonoma County, CA that sings the praises of follower boards in place of the 1st and 10th frames. These plywood false frames serve as further insulation from the hives exterior (like the trunk of a tree). The cavity created between the hive wall and the follower board serves as a channel for the air to circulate.
In addition, we also use a vented inner cover. Some are sold with notches but you can easily make one. I recommend stapling screen over the notch so the bees don't use this as a secondary entrance, and it reduces the risk of robbing. By simply sliding the outer telescoping cover forward or backward you effectively either open or close the vent. This system has greatly reduced moisture and mildew in our hives!
FYI the follower boards, because the bees do not place wax on them, are easy to remove giving you more space to manipulate the remaining frames. No more danger of rolling bees!
He wrote a great article on follower boards and their uses in Bee Culture but I cant find it online.
Good luck!