Ventilation

[triple7sss]

Hi all,

This is my first foray into bees and top bar hives and I need the benefit of someone's wisdom.

I built my TBH without a mesh floor.  I couldn't find mesh that I thought was the right size, package of bees was coming...I screwed the floor right to the bottom of the hive which probably isn't the end of the world but I'm concerned about ventilation with summer coming.  I realize there are other reasons to have a mesh floor and having found some mesh that I like I might try and go back and remove the bottom board and install the mesh but that will be a process since my hive is sitting with the bottom board resting on the legs.

I have 3x1" entrance holes in the middle of the hive on the side.  The bees quickly filled in about two thirds of the two holes I left open with propolis so I left the third corked.  Where is the best place for a ventilation opening and how large should it be?  I was thinking higher up on the side opposite the entrance holes.

I'm in Colorado where the relative humidity will hover at a muggy 30 - 40% for most of the summer. ;)

Thanks!

[Michael Bush]

Bees have been ventilating hives with only one small opening for as long as there have been bees.  Huber's research on the matter shows that more openings actually often interferes with their ability to ventilate.  I think they will do fine.  Where in Colorado does the relative humidity hover at 30-40%?  I see less issues when they are in a horizontal hive than a vertical one.  In a vertical hive with no top entrance or vent, the bees have to push fresh air all the way to the top (while it wants to sink) and the moist hot air to the bottom (while it wants to rise) and yet they manage.  In a horizontal hive they don't have to fight gravity to get it done.

[triple7sss]

Thanks for that Michael.

Relative humidity too high or too low do you think?  I confess I had to go and look to see what the average was at lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/avgrh.html    As a native of Lincoln I guess I would say it just seems a fair bit drier in Fort Collins than I remember it being in the old hometown...  :)

[BeeMaster2]

<I'm in Colorado where the relative humidity will hover at a muggy 30 - 40% for most of the summer. >
Muggy???
Come on down to Fl, normally 80-100% during most of the summer. We consider 50% dry, during the winter.
 :)
Jim

[Joe D]

Here to Jim,with the temps in the hi 80's to low 100's with the 80 to 100 humidity, thats hot and humid.  Good luck with your bees Triple7.  We don't have the cold in the winter, though.

Joe

[triple7sss]

Ha!  That "air you can see" is kind of exotic for awhile but wears me down pretty quickly.

Couple summers ago we were living in Montana and we drove down to Tennessee to visit in-laws.  Spent a week or so and drove home.  Got somewhere in central South Dakota and piled out to eat and soon as we got out of the car the whole family looked at each other - "Hey!  It's not muggy any more!!"  Kind of funny what you notice...