Top entrances and robbing

Hemlock · January 30, 2011, 08:11:07 PM

Do those of you that use a top entrance have some sort of landing stoop or small front porch? Something to put a reducing block on.

On my bottom entrances if i see robbing going on i reduce, with a block on the landing, to 1 bee width to stop it. I would make the top entrances about an inch in width.

Acebird · January 31, 2011, 11:32:53 AM

Do you have a pic? If you make a porch make sure rain water can't get in.

BlueBee · January 31, 2011, 12:58:18 PM

My top entrances are just a gap that is 3/8". When I want to reduce against robbing or to retain more winter heat, I just stuff a thin stick in that 3/8" gap to reduce the entrance down to 3/8" x 1.5" or whatever I desire.

I'm sure many will report not using a landing stoop or porch. Feral bees don't have them after all. I would concur they're NOT needed and take extra time and labor to make. However being stubborn as I am, I do make little porches for them. I'm just a hobbyist though, not commercial.

My casual observation is on cold Michigan evenings, loaded down bees are about as graceful at landing as I am with my little RC Helicopter. Meaning, we both crash a lot. I like a little margin for error, for myself and the bees, that's why I do add landing boards. On cold days here, too many a crashed bee doesn't have enough energy to attempt another flight and die on the ground from being chilled.

Finski · January 31, 2011, 01:44:15 PM

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I drill upper entrance holes a little bit upwards. So water drills downwards.

I have finger size holes. One inch is quite much. Sometimes bees use the hole so much that they have a bad rusch there.

When you look inside the frame bar heads make entrance quite narrow to walk and robbers do not like upper entrances.

scdw43 · January 31, 2011, 03:40:22 PM

My inner covers have a notch cut in them on one side for winter ventilation. In the summer I reverse the cover to the side without a notch in the rim.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h10/dave_sc/nucs/100_1528.jpg

Finski · January 31, 2011, 03:47:19 PM

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My every box has a upper entrance, because bees use to go through, and when I change the box, they should get in via same place.

Michael Bush · January 31, 2011, 09:49:09 PM

>Do those of you that use a top entrance have some sort of landing stoop or small front porch?

I do not. I have tried it but it's a waste of effort.

> Something to put a reducing block on.

I tack a piece of screen molding with one nail in the center so it pivots.