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Author Topic: Openings for my top bar hives  (Read 2703 times)

Offline watercarving

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Openings for my top bar hives
« on: February 18, 2008, 04:37:02 pm »
I can't decide how to do my openings. Do you think it's better to have several 3/4" holes across the front entrance or just a long slit? Should I have a hole up high on the front for ventilation?

Thanks.
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Offline Robo

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Re: Openings for my top bar hives
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2008, 05:56:16 pm »
I had one with 1/2" x 6"  open perpendicular to the bars right under the bars, one with 1/2" x6" opening perpendicular to the bars at the bottom, a barrel hive with a bung opening at the bottom.   All seemed to work fine, but I seem to like the upper entrance better as they seemed to fly earlier/colder that the other ones.  Granted with the limited sample size, I can't really draw any conclusions.
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Offline Moonshae

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Re: Openings for my top bar hives
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2008, 08:29:56 pm »
From what I understand, people tend to close/plug holes in the winter and reopen them when the weather gets warmer. Seems that stoppers in round holes would be best for that.
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Offline bassman1977

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Re: Openings for my top bar hives
« Reply #3 on: February 20, 2008, 10:51:36 pm »
Quote
I had one with 1/2" x 6"  open perpendicular to the bars right under the bars

I don't have any practical experience yet, but for what it is worth, with the TBH I am going to build, I am planning the above.  I think I read somewhere that 1/4" is good enough.  If that is the case, I am going 1/4".
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Offline Robo

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Re: Openings for my top bar hives
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2008, 08:48:40 am »
Although 1/4"  may be enough, I think you will find that they try to chew it bigger.  Even the Langstroths use 3/8" for winter.
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Offline bassman1977

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Re: Openings for my top bar hives
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2008, 09:49:39 am »
Cool...thanks for the info.
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Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Openings for my top bar hives
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2008, 07:34:14 pm »
Mine are all just a gap at the front bar, and no hole.  If the bars are not recessed this is all you need.  If the bars are recessed then you need to prop the lid 1/4" to get an entrance.  I hate drilling holes in equipment. When I had a bottom entrance on my top bar hive I had skunk problems.
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