--- On Thu, 10/22/09, pcelar <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> ...I have seen that many beeks are making holes on honey
> supers.  
> The idea is that the foraging bees can access frames
> without going 
> through the hole hive.  What is your opinion on that?

Foragers do not travel through the entire hive, but instead, transfer nectar in the form of 'subloads' to several receiver bees.  And these receiver bees may transfer partial loads to other receiver bees to aid in the evaporation or cooling process. Consider that with holes in the super, it is possible that some foragers would need travel down to the broodnest area to deposit nectar to receiver bees located there to aid in feeding young and broodnest cooling process.

In my experience with holes in the super.  Once a bee orientates to a particular entrance (baring the obscure exception which may exist in every case), it will continue to use that entrance for life, having never orientated to the alternate entrance. Pheromones also play a role in encouraging the continued or adopted use of a particular entrance by others. 

This may be illustrated by the occasional occurrence of a broodnest which sits in the upper most hive sections in early spring, or has alternate entrance blocked.  Often, bees will begin to use the upper vent for an entrance, and continue to favor its use throughout the season, even though a more convenient entrance may begin to exist elsewhere. 

Best Wishes,
Joe 


      

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