>  When I first started beekeeping again here in Canada, I did as the locals
> did."When in Rome, do as the Romans". So we had holes augered in the top
> super as a top entrance, but found it very ineffective. It is in the wrong
> place, as it leaves dead air in the place where the most moisture will
> accumulate.
 
Actually, this is precisely why I've gone to the auger holes.  In our
area, we have very dry conditions and strong winds, and I've been
concerned that the slit on the top lets out *too much* moisture and
heat.
 
Measurements here, however show no appreciable difference in winter
success.
 
>         As somebody else has pointed out, it allows supercedure queens to
> get back into the hive via a top entrance.In the past we have had two queens
> in the same hive, one in the honey super and one below the queen excluder.
 
A bonus! ;)
 
Two queen colonies without the work!
 
Actually we have this less than 1% of the time.  And we had it before
we had auger holes too.
 
>         Year round top entrances will allow bees to store pollen in the
> honey supers, leading to cloudy honey.
 
We don't have auger holes - or any other holes if we can help
it above the excluder.  Our brood chambers are never mixed with our
supers.
 
> Another problem I noticed, if you
> take off the top box to work on the bottom box, you get lots of bees in the
> air trying to find that top entrance. These bees haven't been smoked and can
> get real nasty!!
 
Ain't this truth!
 
>         Vladimer made a good point, it would shift the brood rearing down
> towards the bottom box, expanding the brood area.
 
Haven't really noticed this - one way or the other.
 
>         Since we modified our Langs we no longer have these problems.Our top
> entrance is 2" by 3/8 right in the inner cover, at the highest point of the
> hive, arranged so we can open and close it at will.
 
We used that for 15 years and now we are moving away from that. It
seems ironic.
 
Regards
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                                         VE6CFK
RR#1, Swalwell, Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0  Internet:[log in to unmask]
Honey. Bees, Art, & Futures <http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka>