Bees ignore 'main' entrance; only use top entrance

[phill]

For the last several years I've been giving my hives a small top entrance, less than an inch wide. I started doing it for ventilation, and in case the 'regular' bottom entrance was blocked by snow during the winter. But I've found that my bees prefer the top entrance.

In my strongest hive, in fact, the bees ignore the wide-open bottom entrance. The traffic congestion outside the tiny top entrance is incredible, but they apparently don't mind. I've seen them bearding outside the bottom entrance, but they just won't use it for regular traffic.

This spring I split that hive, and the split has now grown into a healthy colony: two deeps. They, too, will not use the bottom entry.

I've checked, and there's no obstacle in either hive. If they're happy, I'm happy; and both hives are doing well. I'm just curious whether others have seen the same very strong preference for top entries.

[BeeMaster2]

That is interesting Phil. My bees mainly use the bottom entrance unless that is the only entrance they have.
Jim

[Hops Brewster]

all my hives have a top and bottom entrances.  Last year I had one colony that used the top about 90%, another colony used it about 10%, and the 3rd ignored it, except to place a couple guards, and used the bottom exclusively.

This year, the same setup and only 1 colony uses the top hole about 10%, the others use only the bottom entrance.