Allen Dick wrote:
>
> > With the entrance on the long side ie. 20" or called the warm way.
> > Personally I don't believe it makes much difference to temperature within
> > the hive. After all the entrance is still the same size.
>
> ???? Maybe I'm missing something here, since going 'warm way', I envision
> the entrance to be 18.5" long, rather than 15" or so?
 
Since a Langstroth hive body measures 16-1/4" x 19-7/8" outside dimension, 18.5 fits
neither short or long side. To be exact, an entrance opening on the long side would be
18-5/8" not 18-1/2" but then again I don't think David was intending to be that exact.
That's what was missed.
 
> > As to the strength of the floor, one way versus another makes no
> > difference. The strength of the rim surrounding the floor supports the
> > boxes, not the middle of the floor.
>
> On our floors -- and likely yours from what you say -- that is true since
> we have cleats under front and back for access for forks and carts as well
> as a rim on three sides; however the ordinary floors sold by bee supply
> houses only have a rim on *three* sides, and bee supply house equipment
> tends to set the standard in folks minds.
 
It still matters not. Yours or ordinary floors, as long as at least two opposing sides
are held in place by a connection of wood or something else, it will support the hive just
fine. One could even have a floor with just two sides on it and give the bees front and
back access if they wanted to.
 
-Barry
 
--
Barry Birkey
West Chicago, Illinois  USA
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http://www.birkey.com