Roger Carlson wrote:
>>Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to stacking the deep brood
supers (or any supers for that matter) crisscross to the previous one?
In other words the frames on the bottom running east to west and the
frames on the next one up running north to south...?<<
 
There are dangers of robbing in the bee yard if you do this.  But I bet
it's great for ventilation.  I have never seen supers crisscross but have
seen the top super purposely offset a few inches to provide better
ventilation during the hot Texas summer.  In this case the frames are
parallel, just pushed back an inch or two, the same effect as an upper
entrance drilled in a super.  I don't think you would want to do this
during a dearth because all your field bees would be hanging out with no
forage.  Leaving them an open invitation to rob might be too irresistable
for them.
 
I have one super that has a 1" entrance drilled in it.  I bought it that
way from a retired beekeeper.  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...
 
Ted Wout
Red Oak, TX