Horizontal hives entrances

[Bob Wilson]

It is commonly reported that long hives (top bar, Layen's, long langs) do best with an entrance at one of the short ends.
Entrances at both ends or in the middle of the long side are a problem, because the queen tends to create the brood nest at the entrance. I have found this to be true.
By this logic, why don't queens move the brood nest to the top of standard, stacked langstroth supers which often are kept with top entrances?

[Michael Bush]

There are several instincts involved here.  One is that the brood nest tends to be by the entrance.  One is that the honey is stored over the brood nest.  Honey stored over the brood nest pushes the brood nest down.

[BeeMaster2]

By having the honey above your he brood nest, during the winter, as the last brood of the season hatch out the cluster can slowly move up into the honey that is heated by the cluster below.
Jim Altmiller

[Ben Framed]

By having the honey above your he brood nest, during the winter, as the last brood of the season hatch out the cluster can slowly move up into the honey that is heated by the cluster below.
Jim Altmiller

Agreed as this is my understanding as well.

Phillip

[Acebird]

By having the honey above your he brood nest, during the winter, as the last brood of the season hatch out the cluster can slowly move up into the honey that is heated by the cluster below.
Jim Altmiller

One of the concerns I have with a long hive is how do they move the cluster in the spring if they have gone sideways and survived winter.

[Ben Framed]

By having the honey above your he brood nest, during the winter, as the last brood of the season hatch out the cluster can slowly move up into the honey that is heated by the cluster below.
Jim Altmiller

One of the concerns I have with a long hive is how do they move the cluster in the spring if they have gone sideways and survived winter.

If I was interested in this type hive I would share your concern Brian. On the other hand I can see where a person who may have a physical imparity might be interested in this type hive as described and suffered by our fellow Member Father Michael..

[Bob Wilson]

I find in early spring that the bees have migrated just fine, eating sideways through their stores towards the back. The frames closest to the entrance are empty and the queen is building her spring brood nest in the middle or back half of the hive.
I take the leftover honey frames from the back and move them to the entrance, then shift the brood next to that, then leave the back open with empty frames for expansion. They finish off the honey in the front, moving the nest to the entrance again.
I have to suppose this works fine in very cold regions also. There are too many horizontal hive beeks in Europe and up north for it not to.

[Bob Wilson]

So, in stacked langstroths with upper entrances, the honey supers act as a barrier, and the brood nest stays at the bottom.
Interesting.

[Ben Framed]

Bob Wilson
I have to suppose this works fine in very cold regions also. There are too many horizontal hive beeks in Europe and up north for it not to.

No argument from me. I for one, simply prefer the 'time tested' and 'proven' Langstroug Hive which is used in all parts of the world form the tropics, to the extreme cold. Even the Far North locations of TheHoneyPump and Finsky, (successfully) with maximum honey production from their shared experiences.
If a person wishes to keep bees then I personally think they should do so by any method which makes the experience pleasurable and makes them happy.


A Post from another recent topic.

I'm also convinced that some folks confuse primitive with "more natural".    This is another case where beekeeping is regional.  Here in the Northeast (or any cold climate) horizontal hives are "less natural" because the honeybees instinct to work vertical is a better solution in colder weather.   In a tree they start at the top and drive the queen down through the season as they backfill with honey above.  Come fall the brood nest is at the bottom and all the stores are above.   As they progress through winter they work their way up consuming honey that is pre-warmed by the heat of the cluster.   The next meal is always above them and they don't have to rely on the temperature being warm enough to move to new stores like they would in a horizontal configuration.   In warmer climates this is not an issue and they will do equally well in either configuration.

[Acebird]

If I was interested in this type hive I would share your concern Brian. On the other hand I can see where a person who may have a physical imparity might be interested in this type hive as described and suffered by our fellow Member Father Michael..

There is no easier hive to manage then an 8 frame medium, hands down.  I just turned 70 last month.
A Langstroug Hive can be adjusted for space as the bees want to expand or contract.  This is especially important for managing pests.  The only advantage I can see for a long hive is costs, less parts and easy enough to build yourself.

[Michael Bush]

The only significant advantage I see to a long hive for me, is not lifting boxes.  Top bar hives have the added advantage (which doesn't matter much to me) that less bees are exposed (because of the solid top bars and no gaps) keeping them quieter, which matters if you hot bees.  Everything else I can get in a Langstroth hive.  Natural comb is nice, but I can get them in any hive by not using foundation.

[Ben Framed]

If I was interested in this type hive I would share your concern Brian. On the other hand I can see where a person who may have a physical imparity might be interested in this type hive as described and suffered by our fellow Member Father Michael..

There is no easier hive to manage then an 8 frame medium, hands down.  I just turned 70 last month.
A Langstroug Hive can be adjusted for space as the bees want to expand or contract.  This is especially important for managing pests.  The only advantage I can see for a long hive is costs, less parts and easy enough to build yourself.

I disagree as in the case of Father Michael. For an amputee, or others with physical disadvantages, age plays no factor.

The only significant advantage I see to a long hive for me, is not lifting boxes.  Top bar hives have the added advantage (which doesn't matter much to me) that less bees are exposed (because of the solid top bars and no gaps) keeping them quieter, which matters if you hot bees.  Everything else I can get in a Langstroth hive.  Natural comb is nice, but I can get them in any hive by not using foundation.

[Michael Bush]

For an amputee it would have some significant advantages.

[Acebird]

Most beekeepers are not amputees.  Most long hives are not run by amputees.

[Ben Framed]

Most beekeepers are not amputees.  Most long hives are not run by amputees.

No one said otherwise.

[The15thMember]

Another advantage I could see to a long hive is that you wouldn't have to bend over to inspect the bottom boxes.  The whole hive can be built to be a comfortable height, which would be helpful for someone with back problems. 

[Michael Bush]

In your climate the entrance location may not be as critical, but I would only have one.  With one at each end I have had horizontal hives robbed at the opposite end from where the brood nest was.  The one entrance on the end is important in a cold climate because the bees will work their way to one end and starve with food at the other end.  I can't envision that happening in Florida.