Thanks Eva, I read Ed’s thread a few times and thought that was his question.
I am experimenting with double entrances on the bottom board, two narrower entrances of the same total width as a single entrance to give a better air flow and to reduce the cold air on the brood in the middle frames. Just a thought to make life a bit more comfortable for the bees.
@Bubba I have done the thermometer experiment and got good ambient out side temps for min and maximums reading weekly but the bees didn’t like my idea having a thermometer inside the hive, covering it in wax.
Regards
I also been thinking on that after reading up on airflow in the hive
and believe it has a lot merit. The only question I ask is why has it not been done already and if it has, why is it not popular.
Any thoughts @JeffH, @Anon, @Michael_Bush, @Rodderick
Hiya Busso, Jeff does the same and I was doing it for a while but whenever I removed the reducer from the entrance I always had moth grubs around it. I only use reducers now when it’s a small or weak colony.
Interested to hear what the experienced people say.
Hi Busso, I use two small entrances now, since a new beekeeper brought his brood box for me to put bees into. He had one entrance reducer in the middle, which left 2 small entrances. He said that he read online that it helps the bees to direct airflow. I instantly warmed to the idea because of my belief that bees circulate air in such a fashion. This is based on info in the video “City of Bees”. You’ll see in that video how they use tissue paper as an illustration to show air going in on one side & out on the other.
The idea may not be popular, however I’m not all that interested in what’s popular with other beekeepers. I’m more inclined to go with what I think is best for my bees. (a maverick beekeeper)
@busso@skeggley@Anon I picked up on the idea from Jeff and watching the video “City of Bees” that again Jeff put me onto watching.
The area of the openings combined is the same as a normal single entrance but
I figure the air flow will be more effective by eliminating the vortex caused by air in and out at a single entrance.
In mass produced hives it is quicker to cut a single entrance in the base board wood-ware so it is cheaper as well. As bee keepers we tend to go with the ‘tried and proven’ than to think outside of the square.
In a cold climate I see the added benefit of having a separator in the middle of the entrance to direct the incoming clod air away from the brood to maintain it’s warmth, and possibly to bring on an increase of early brood.
I am experimenting with a couple of hives so I guess I can see the merit of the idea, more for our warm weather here but it should also work for hives in cold climates too. The more bees not needed to air condition the hive means more bees for other duties.
Cheers
