Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => TOP BAR HIVES - WARRE HIVES - LONG HIVES => Topic started by: brushwoodnursery on April 23, 2013, 12:05:48 pm
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Just wondering about entrance placement on the TBH someone gave me. It's in the middle of the end. Looks fine but there's no landing pad and isn't it harder for them to clean out their dead, etc. with the entrance (exit) up on a wall? Do folks make a lower entrance on these?
The one I got was built by Kelley. I'm making improvements like shorter, sturdier legs that won't rot and covering the top with metal. Also hinged the lid so my daughter can use it. Going to cut a screen opening in the bottom and a viewing window into the side, too.
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I made a KTBH with the entrance on the end originally. It worked okay, although bees don’t seem to build perpendicular to their entrance when left to their own devices, so I moved it to one end along the side. That was because the bees will keep their brood near the entrance and their stores away from the entrance. That worked very well until the bees decided to abscond.
When you say you are going to add a screened section, I presume you mean #8 or 8 squares per inch hardware cloth and not window screen. If you do that, the bees can clean out that way. Bees that die in the hive are typically carried out and flown away by the bees.
8-)
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On my TBH the opening is at one end. I have #8 hardware cloth in the bottom, with the opening at that height. I have a handmade trough under it for the oil in SHB trap. I also made frames for the hive, not just a bar. And the legs are treated 4x4's. I did install a window out of a piece of scrap plexiglass. But it starts about frame 7 so it was a while before you could see them. On the first frame I added 1/4 inch to front side, side next to hive front wall, and the bees started with it. Good luck to you and your bees.
Joe