Dan suggests that since bees want to propolize 1/8" wire mesh above the hive
that they don't like upper ventilation.

Don't know if one premise leads to the other, in this case...?

I suspect they propolize the 1/8" wire mesh primarily because of the opening
size, not because it is an opening!  In fact, they make no attempt to
propolize my 1/2" upper ventilation that extends across the full width of
the hive body.  That said, when I used to use a 1" hole drilled just above
the hand hold for upper ventilation somewhere around 10% of the hives would
propolize that!  Go figure!

Based on seeing 50-100 bees just beyond my 1/2" opening, fanning like heck,
all summer I would say they actually like the added ventilation.

Lloyd
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Lloyd Spear Owner, Ross Rounds, Inc.  The finest in comb honey production.
Visit our web site at http://www.rossrounds.com.