Avoiding holes for upper enterences...

[Apis629]

I just got new supers and I don't want to drill a hole in them for upper enterences.  I had an idea to avoid this and I want to run it by the experienced beekeepers here.  I have one of those metal/wood enterence feeders from Dadant and I was wondering if I invert it over a hole the same size in the cover if that would work as an upper enterence?

[Jerrymac]

How about an upside down bottom board?  

A small chunk of wood as a spacer under the cover.

I'm sure there are many make-shift ways of getting a top entrance.

Slide the top box back a little until you have an opening between it and the lower box for a mid-entrance.

[Oyster]

You can use imirie shims as upper entrances.  Supposedly, using this hardware will not encourage bees to build comb within this additional space.  Brushy Mountain carries this item.  I bought three, but haven't employed them yet.

You can also use this shim on the uppermost super when storing supers off of hives to guard against wax moths.  The shim creates a dead space to place your plate of moth balls on top of the frames while allowing a plywood cover on top, without crushing the moth balls.

[drobbins]

Oyster,

I'm a total newbie and may be wrong.
But I was told to be careful of the distinction between PDB and mothballs for waxmoth
I think they aren't the same chemical
mothballs = bad

tell me if I'm wrong
it wouldn't be the first time   :)

Dave

[bassman1977]

ms132872, that sounds right.  I'm no mind reader, but I think that's what Oyster meant by "moth balls".

[leominsterbeeman]

Off-topic:
Most mothballs are from Naptha, and that is bad.  It gets absorbed by the wax and will ruin it.  A friend of mine had the Para mothballs and those are OK.  Butt hey have to be Para and not Naptha.

Bac on Topic:

The Imire upper entrances work.  YOU can also get them from better bee.  They are about 3/4 of an inch in height and wiht a 3/8 incl opening.  I use them  on all of my hives, Some hives have two.  the problem isthat the bees returnign to that hole get a little disoriented and dive bomb your head when you take the supers away.

[Apis629]

Good thing I have a spare bottom board.  Thanks for all the tips.