Size of top entry hole

[flyboy]

I am making a top entry cover and want to drill a hole in it to allow the bees in and out. How large a hole should I drill ?

I was thinking about rounding the hole with a router also to make it easier to land. Maybe installing a traffic light...  :-D

[Bush_84]

Well I drill my holes to 7/8 inch.  My wine corks fit nicely in there.  Others have said that theirs are 3/4 inch. 

[jayj200]

do not forget the trafic cams

allow room for a speed trap later on

[BlueBee]

I can't speak for the bees, but personally I like a 9mm high slot for entrances, 2" to 18" wide depending upon the time of the year.  A 9mm slot is too small for mice and just the right size for one row of bees to defend against moths and the weather. 

I also like a landing board because it tends to give the bees a place to hang out and beard that is somewhat protected from the weather.

[Michael Bush]

My top entrances:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopentrance.htm#make

A notch will work fine...

[RHBee]

5/16" full width. I also have a 3"X5/16" bottom entrance.

[pyro-1955]

I am a newbie, and this is something I need to add to my hive, should I drill a hole in a box, remove the top brood box, install the box with the hole in it, and the frames from the brood box, or is there a better idea to add a top entrance for the bees for the winter?

[BlueBee]

IMO, the most important reason for a top entrance in the winter isn't really for an entrance, it's for ventilation of moisture.  The bees will respire and generate moisture in the box.  Like with a human bathroom, if that moisture isn't vented, you're going get mold and wetness.  Wetness defeats insulation.

Hence I'm not sure I would go to all the bother of switching out your old brood box for a new one with a hole, you can use the traditional inner cover for a vent or if you wanted a top entrance another option would be to build a custom short box that could serve as a winter top entrance and candyboard if you plan to do any candy this winter.  The problem with simply putting a hole in the brood box is the hole really isn't big enough for a colony of bees in the fall; too small.  The bee population by fall is huge.  It might be ok later in the winter after the summer bees have died off.

Personally I like an adjustable top entrance slot myself.  I can adjust the slot wide for October and narrow it down when it gets really cold in December.  That way the bees don't overheat during an "Indian summer" warm up, and don't freeze from a sudden cold spell (if I adjust the slots).  The slot gives you more flexibility, but honestly the bees can take a lot of abuse!  Just about anything will work as long as you have some kind of top venting.   

[rwlaw]

I install a 2 1/2" feeder ring in October w/ a 1" hole & half a cork. That way I can put on sugar blocks if they need it, quick in & out.

[MT204]

I used to drill mine 1" but couldn't find any cheap corks to plug holes.
Now I drill 7/8" so I can plug them with used wine bottle corks if need be.

[flyboy]

Just  thought. I have three of these for making rustic furniture. http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=42299&cat=1,180,42288,42299
I just take a branch put it through the 1" tonon maker and it makes a perfect cork with a nice lip to seal the hole.