If that top entrance doesn’t work for you, Rusty Burlew came up with a nice design when she installed a hive-top pollen trap. She got a 3" shim and drilled 3 one inch holes in it.
I am sure if you left that in place for any time though, the bees would build creative comb in it. However, I don’t see why you couldn’t drill 1" holes in the hive walls, like top bar hives often have.
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I also was considering a top entrance with the Flow as I’m using them on my other hives with good results. However I’m hesitant to have 2 entrances (I plan to try the excluder on the Flow so the bottom one would be required for the drones anyway) to defend since I have had really bad yellow jacket problems the last few seasons and they tend to just walk into the hive at sunrise before any bees ‘man the door’.
Just curious – what are people using for top ventilation for the Flow Hives with bottom entrances? I usually have single holes drilled about an inch down from the top of the boxes which I either screen for airflow, or open them for additional traffic.
Ventilated bee suit? Ventilated bee suit?!
From whom? URL?
…coupon code for free one?
Inquiring minds…
If the product description does not explicitly say “ventilated”, what do I look for to verify the advantage over and above the one I purchased via Flow?
Thank you.
This is the one I got, and I still love it:
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Ventilated-Suit/productinfo/987/
If you want sizing details, look at the page for the Master beekeeping suit and click on “View additional images”
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Master-Beekeeper-Suit/productinfo/986Z/
You might need to get one of their veils too, I am not sure that other makes will fit.
I don’t have a coupon code for a free one, but you can get 10% off with the coupon in the back of the Beekeeping for Dummies book.
I can’t really answer that, as I don’t have a Flow bee suit. Sorry!
ROFL (at myself)
I was kidding about the coupon code @Dawn_SD . My lame attempt at humor fell flat.
Thank you very much for pointing me in the right direction.
Shame that text doesn’t convey humor well… 
I have been looking hard to see if I can find you a coupon code for delivery by yesterday… 
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Cool I will bookmark that link. I have hopes this will be all I need until I get to adding the Flow Frames.
Could always get an 8-frame shim for above the queen excluder!
http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/8-Frame-Imirie-Shims/productinfo/254IS/
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I think that is what I would do. However, the advantage of Rusty’s design is that it fully conforms with Thomas Seeley’s concept of 15 sq cm of entrance being preferred by bees. Three one inch holes are almost exactly 15 sq cm.
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I had thought about making something like that, but worried about burr. I have an idea to try and modify an Inner and to replace the wood center for a queen excluder, then putting the entrance on the bottom side so it’s still mostly a top entrance while hopefully not giving much room to burr up.
Anyone every done anything like that?
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I have never used a top entrance hive, but I am certainly intrigued by them.
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Well I’ll look at doing that idea of Inner mixed with Queen excluder before I get to adding my Flow Frames box
The imirie shim violates bee space by 3/4" all the way across by itself. Inserted in between two boxes it violates it is 1 1/8"… My cover (made with shingle shims) violates it a bit at the front by about 1/4" (5/8") but traffic usually keeps them from burring it much at the front and it is 7/16" in the center and 1/4" at the back. So half it it is about correct beespace.
No code for free shipping, but Amazon might be able to help with the fast delivery!
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@Michael_Bush I reduced my bottom entrance to about one bee and gave them a 1/4 inch by 4 inch top entrance to use. How long until they stop standing sideways in the top entrance blocking it and start using it? Its funny they remind me of my beef cattle standing sideways in the gate you want them to use meanwhile fighting to get the entire heard through a one wide entrance lol.
Thanks in advance
Cory Lystang
Every colony makes its own decisions. Yours is recognizing it as an entrance or they wouldn’t be guarding it. They will sort it out.
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This Is what I came up with. I put screen in the openings where I didn’t want bees to go and I can use it as a quilting box this winter. 
Over kill? Maybe but I had fun doing it!
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@Michael_Bush it seems I have some robbing. Its strange because the fields are in full bloom and my hive is was quite strong at the last inspection. But they are definitely fighting at the one bee entrance on the bottom for the drones (I’m using a queen excluder) Can I make a robbing screen with the entrance facing down for the top entrance? It seems most screens are for the bottom entrance and all say it needs to have the screen entrance facing up? I may have inadvertently left some burr comb at the hive last inspection so most likely my fault.
So far with the top entrances, I’ve just used window screen and closed the entire thing off until the robbing lets up and then poke a hole in it big enough for one bee when the robbing lets up. The screen still confuses the robbers. But a little wrestling is probably not robbing yet. I haven’t bothered to try to design a robber screen for a top entrance. I actually can’t think of an instance where it got out of hand. Maybe a lack of a landing board is a big help…
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I put a “vale” of screen on the telescoping top so it hangs in front of the entrance and leaves room for the residents to go down or around the side. I didn’t know what else to try and thought to try something before it got bad. the residents are agitated with the new addition and there was a huge traffic jam yesterday but it seems like they are figuring it out. Ill do an inspection tomorrow or the next day to check for my queen after they settle some. Thanks @Michael_Bush any other suggestions will be appreciated ill post some pictures after I resize them
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