Hello everyone.
I plan on expanding by one hive every year, and for 2011 I was going to make my next hive an "experiment" hive. I want to try all the things that Michael Bush had suggested (i.e. foundationless, all mediums, and top entrances) but I have a few questions.
Top Entrances
1) How do you smoke a top entrance hive without having someplace to smoke at the bottom?
2) How do you reduce the entrance on the top? Just use a regular entrance reducer? Do you reduce at all?
3) How do I feed bees seeing as my hive top feeder approach would be useless with a top entrance hive
Foundationless
1) I've seen some writings regarding making sure the hive is absolutely level (or as close as you can get it with foundationless). Is this true?
2) Do you use wiring? (I can tell you right now, I see a HUGE benefit in not having to wire or embed wax foundation, its too time consuming)
Thank you! Sorry for asking so many questions in a single thread.