I would like to share the idea of upper entrance.
If I were a bee, I had to go through from the bottom, 2nd and 3rd box with full of heavy nectar, I would be very tired of climbing all those crowded places, the structure made by human being just like a file cabinet structure, no other entrances like the natural environment. So, it is great for bees to have an upper entrance, hassle-free.
Anybody who has different idea, please share ~
Thanks in advance ~
A big welcome to the forum Alexa where you will find lots of help and information from others.
As with a lot in bee keeping there is logical reasons both for and against a top entrance to a bee hive. To add to that there are people who follow religiously one or the other options as it works for them and their location as well as those that just do it the way they the way because it is just the way they always have done itā¦
But there is no ānecessity for an upper entranceā if the bottom entrance is large enough, and having one entrance means it is easier for the colony to defend in a robbing situation.
Cheers, Peter
Thanks - Peter, of course, when there is only one brooding box, no problem with it.
But, from 3rd 4th, I strongly suggest. definitely ~ because it is not easy for the bees to climb up with heavy load when the space for climbing up arenāt enough, which means very crowded. Perhaps, that might reduce the life span of bees, doing things not related to honey production. climb up to find a place to store the nectar. I insist it causes intensive labor to bees that is nothing to do with honey production. On the other hand, if there is a upper entrance, they just fly in and store ~ no labor that is nothing to do with honey production.
Are you saying your hive has 3 and even a 4th brood box?? Can you explain your style(Langstroth or flow Hive) and maybe a pic of your hive or a configuration that is used in South Korea.
What we use in the colder climates in Australia is a double or 1 1/2 boxes for the brood, then a QX and a super on the top. But where I am we run a full depth brood, then a QX and supers above that that.
I hope thatās not you in the pic Pete, not where Iād leave the smoker.
It is me @skeggley, If I lift a roof after using the smoker, if the girls are calm I leave the smoker to go out and sort of find that that the rest of the hives will be calm too. There is always a hot hive where the bees mass attack before you get to it, mine was the āmountain goatā hive, when I had to call on JeffH to help me find and dispatch the queen and do a walk away split, doing that has made both of the hives very calm.
During the warmer months by the time I have checked a hive or two I strip off to just shorts and a T shirt as dehydration is an issue for me in my climate.
Cheers mate,
