Hive Question

[Midwest WI]

This is probably a dumb question, but oh well.

Why is the hive entrance on the short side of the box?  Because the long side would be too big of an area for the bees to protect or what is the reason? 

When the bees enter the hive, do they want the frames straight-away?  What would happen if someone put the entrance on the long side with the frames in the traditional position?  Would the bees go crazy?

[Brian D. Bray]

I believe the DE hive has the bottom long wise to the hive body.  I've tried it a few times, making my own bottoms for the experiment.  It works okay but I'm not sure it is an inprovement as it is necessary to reduce the entrance back down to the narrower side demension. 
If you're using a Warre hive it doesn't matter because all sides are the same.

[organicfarmer]

In Top Bar Hives, some put the entrance on the side of the hive making it like in Langstroth where the flight path would be parrallel to the combs; others, placing the entrance on one end, when entering, bees face a comb.
In nature, hollow trees and cavity, my observation has been this latest format (combs -more or less- perpendicular to entrance)
Obviously bees will adapt (as in Langstroth hives) to a different position of their combs.