On 22 May 97 at 8:38, Greg Hankins wrote:
.  The hive with that super has produced more
> >honey than any others that I have.  Everytime I go to that hive there are
> >bees fanning for all they are worth from this entrance.  The aroma of
> >drying nectar is overwhelming at this hive, I love that sweet smell.  Maybe
> >there is something to this...
>
> Sue Hubbell's "Book of Bees" mentions this kind of "top" entrance. She is
> working, I believe, in the Ozarks. How far North does this type of thing
> make sense? I'm in NC close to the SC line.
 
We have advocated using top entrances for many years. In fact our
hive and Mod Kit is based on that type of ventilation. We have proved
that a ventilated hive will out perform a none ventilated hive in
honey production, given the same circumstances.
        Top entrances are vital here where the winters are so long and cold.
It does allow for an alternative entrance should the bottom one
become clogged with dead bees. At this time of year they only use the
top one, until we shut it down, after early spring inspections and
bottom board cleaning.
 
> On a similar note, what kind of climate and other considerations would
> argue for  using a single brood box for over-wintering, vs. two deeps or
> one deep and one medium or shallow super?
 
The only criteria that I can establish is the amount of stores needed
to get them through the winter. Obviously the more boxes, the more
stores possible. I don't think my bees could manage on less than two
deeps. In fact our queen yards are only on two, mainly because we
stimulate feed in early spring, whereas our production yards are on 3
deeps and we don't spring feed.
 
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The Bee Works, 9 Progress Dr, Unit 2,
Orillia, Ontario, L3V 6H1
Phone/fax  705-326-7171
David Eyre, Owner.
http://www.muskoka.net/~beeworks
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