Top Entrance Question

Pond Creek Farm · December 28, 2011, 09:29:41 PM

With a top entrance, is the broodnest at the bottom of the hive like with bottom entrances, at the top near the entrance or somewhere in between? The reason I ask is that I am concerned where to put the supers. I have bottom entrances and have always stacked supers on top as the summer went on. I am wondering is the same the procedure for top entrances or should I be putting supers on the bottom?

Vance G · December 28, 2011, 09:33:27 PM

I have top entrances on my hives and bottom entrances and the bees choose one or the other as their primary it seems. The broodnests are under the honey, so super on top IMO.

iddee · December 28, 2011, 10:45:11 PM

As Vance said, honey on top, always. No matter the entrance, the hive will always be honey on top and around the brood nest. Never under.

Michael Bush · December 28, 2011, 11:16:15 PM

>With a top entrance, is the broodnest at the bottom of the hive like with bottom entrances, at the top near the entrance or somewhere in between?

Bottom.

>The reason I ask is that I am concerned where to put the supers.

On top.

> I have bottom entrances and have always stacked supers on top as the summer went on. I am wondering is the same the procedure for top entrances or should I be putting supers on the bottom?

On top, same as always.

Pond Creek Farm · December 28, 2011, 11:24:43 PM

Thanks folks. I appreciate the advice. If I might chance another question about the top entrance. Do they work best with screened bottom boards? On my hives without, should I drill a hole or some other sort of intake below for ventillation?

Michael Bush · December 29, 2011, 04:18:05 AM

>Do they work best with screened bottom boards?

About half of mine have them.

> On my hives without, should I drill a hole or some other sort of intake below for ventillation?

It might be useful on a hot day. Mine have a screened area on them:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#BottomBoardFeeder

drice · December 29, 2011, 09:13:50 AM

Quote from: Michael Bush on December 28, 2011, 11:16:15 PM
>With a top entrance, is the broodnest at the bottom of the hive like with bottom entrances, at the top near the entrance or somewhere in between?

Bottom.

>The reason I ask is that I am concerned where to put the supers.

On top.

> I have bottom entrances and have always stacked supers on top as the summer went on. I am wondering is the same the procedure for top entrances or should I be putting supers on the bottom?

On top, same as always.

Does the entrance move up when adding supers or do you have some type of a rim above the brood boxes?

Michael Bush · December 29, 2011, 10:49:58 AM

My entrance is at the top of the hive.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm#make

Country Heart · December 29, 2011, 06:08:56 PM

Quote from: Michael Bush on December 29, 2011, 10:49:58 AM
My entrance is at the top of the hive.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm#make

Great pictures. So your top entrance also acts as your cover?

Could you also use a "top entrance" somewhere other than the actual top - like below a super for instance?

Michael Bush · December 29, 2011, 09:15:35 PM

> So your top entrance also acts as your cover?

Yes.

> Could you also use a "top entrance" somewhere other than the actual top - like below a super for instance?

You could. But why bother? There is no easy way without either drilling holes in your boxes or violating bee space. if I were to attempt it, I would just put shingle shims in to make the entrance, but I don't.