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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Bob Harrison <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:41:26 -0500
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Hello Peter & All,

>I think the various supposed benefits of upper entrances in summer are
>nonsense. I don't
think it helps them to "ripen the honey faster".

I think I use upper entrances ( propping lids) to manage the bees better.
often we will see thousands of bees on the front trying to fan air during 
the *main* honey flow. Prop the
lid and soon the bees are back inside and half can resume foraging. We only 
do this in a strong flow as can cause robbing after the flow is over. 
However for the most part storng hives do not rob strong hives. Strong hives 
rob hives which put up the least battle. Robbing out the *dinks* saves me 
work.

> The one that cracks me up is putting an
upper entrance in the supers so they "don't have so far to go". They already
flew a couple
of miles, I don't think they are too tired to walk a few extra inches to off
load the honey.

The above is silly  but with double deeps we are talking almost twenty
inches plus through a queen excluder in my yards and few is "three inches "
last I checked.

but the real reason some beekeepers use an Immirie shim or prop the supers
up (stick etc.) is to provide an upper entrance in the height of the honey
flow is to stop thousands of bees racing through the nursery area causing
needless congestion. Many times in a strong hive in a strong honey flow is 
like
people after a fire alarm and has to upset the hive for the constant
climbing over each over. At least what all my mentors have said and a
reasonable explanation I think.

Many ways to keep bees.

bob

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