Author Topic: Anyone tried one of these? (Read 5923 times)

Yankee11 · « **on:** February 22, 2015, 05:56:05 pm »

The beek I bought my finger joint jig from sent me this. Its a spacer 3/8 that has a land board on the front. It sits on top of the top brood box. Between brood box ans supers. On top of queen excluder. It will allow a 3/8 entrance across the whole front of the hive and all the foragers will be able to come and go straight from the supers. Not have to go through the brood boxes and the excluder. I'll be giving several of these a try out as well this summer.

I especially wanna try them on a 3 deep brood chamber hive. I know I have seen people drill a hole in the supers and have a top entrance but this seems like it would work well with the opening all the way across and the addition of the landing pad. Might help with ventilation also.

He claims more Honey production from his hives that has these on them.

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2015, 05:59:50 pm »

The idea is intriguing, you'll have to let us know how it works out.
I always have an upper entrance but find that I end up with some pollen in my honey supers from time to time.

tefer2 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2015, 06:12:05 pm »

That's a whole lot of top entrance. If your using a bottom entrance along with that top, it may prove be to much space for them to defend.
I'd cut 3/8 stick to block it off, and keep it handy with a nail.
Looks like a bottom board to me.
Is it two different pieces? Or is it made onto the box?

Jen · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2015, 06:46:18 pm »

Yeah! That's what I was wondering, what about in between flow's, robbing and all.

Although it does makes sense as to increasing honey production.

Yankee11 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:15:23 pm »

I have it sitting on top of that deep, not attached. It's made to put on for the flow and remove when flow is over. I'll take another picture removed from the deep

The note he sent me with it said he averaged about 70lbs more honey on his hives that had these on for the flow. I'm gonna build 4 or 5 more and try them out in each yard. Makes since to me though, saving that travel time through the rood nest and excluder. I don't think robbing will be to much of an issue if only on during the flow.

tedh · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:24:46 pm »

I like this. Seeing as it's still winter I can't say I've brought the girls safely through yet, so it'll be a few more years till I try it but.... As far as robbing goes could you utilize two iddee robber screens? One on the bottom and one on the top? If everyone did that we'd be making money hand over fist! At least iddee would, what with the patent and all. No, then he'd have to quit raising bees just to have time to count all that cash! I'll be interested in how it works out for you Yankee11. Ted

Yankee11 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:25:49 pm »

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #7 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:34:51 pm »

Interested in how it works as well.. I like a small top entrance, and will coroberate an increase in production as well as lighter combs using it.. I might be a bit concerned with the amount of ventilation an open bottom and then that 3/8 entrance open the full width of the hive. Robbing probably wont be bad if its only on during a flow, the greater concern might be retaining enough heat to make wax and cure honey?

Perry · « **Reply #8 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:40:58 pm »

Nothing ventured..... I would give it a go, not much to build really. I would use an excluder for sure though. I bet burr comb may be an issue, but if the increase in harvest is there.....

Yankee11 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:43:43 pm »

No problem with heat here.

I am also using solid bottom boards. May reduce some bearding?

I could play with the openings on both entrances, maybe close off the the lower to half if upper entrance is being used the most.

Yankee11 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:49:28 pm »

I use excluders. This will sit right on top of excluder. I wondered about burr comb, but with it only being 3/8, maybe it wont be a big enough gap. Shouldn't be any worse than the bottom side of a inner cover, would it?

Heres what I am imagining. 3deeps brood chambers. then this entrance and 5 supers stacked above this. Back the bed of my truck up, stand on tail gate to pull the supers.

I'll send a picture.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #11 on:** February 22, 2015, 07:53:16 pm »

Here whats I am imagining. 3deeps brood chambers. then this entrance and 5 supers stacked above this. Back the bed of my truck up, stand on tail gate to pull the supers.

LOL, that works for me!

Yankee11 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 22, 2015, 08:03:01 pm »

HeHe,

Then after harvesting those 5 supers from the tailgate of my truck. I'll take the 3 deeps and all those bees and split them into 27 nucs.

tefer2 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 23, 2015, 08:12:32 am »

Yank, guess you'll head up the research on the entrance shim for us.
Please let us know how they perform for you, or if their headed for the burn pile.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #14 on:** February 23, 2015, 09:38:44 am »

I like that idea, i can back the truck up to the 5 supers, my wife can stand in the bed, load them without bending to much, and i can just drive to the house, go in and get a beer while she unloads them. Life is good.

Jack

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #15 on:** February 23, 2015, 10:27:49 am »

Quote from: brooksbeefarm on February 23, 2015, 09:38:44 am

I like that idea, i can back the truck up to the 5 supers, my wife can stand in the bed, load them without bending to much, and i can just drive to the house, go in and get a beer while she unloads them. Life is good. Jack

Good plan! Let me know how that works out for you?

Zweefer · « **Reply #16 on:** February 23, 2015, 10:31:39 am »

i am following this one

DMLinton · « **Reply #17 on:** February 23, 2015, 12:50:15 pm »

I chose to go with this type of entrance last Summer when I started out. Some of the hives had screened bottom boards and some had solid bottom boards - I could not see a difference in how the bees behaved or in their performance. All colonies are on solid bottom boards for Winter. I will not build any more screened bottom boards.

The biggest difference I have seen so far is Winter performance. I close the top entrance down to something in the vicinity of that provided by a notched inner cover for Winter. The rest of the year the openings are managed to create just minor traffic jams. There is usually frost around the openings - if it gets too much for my liking (threatening to block the opening), I open it some. If the opening is remaining largely frost free, I may close it up some especially on weaker hives. I have yet to find any water or ice in the tops of hives.

Some will be apprehensive about the apparent lack of ventilation through the lower regions of the brood nest. For my area, it seems to be irrelevant and possibly even advantageous. I have not encountered any problems dealing with bees coming and going during inspections.

RLTS · « **Reply #18 on:** February 23, 2015, 01:33:20 pm »

interested in the outcome

Yankee11 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 23, 2015, 03:36:58 pm »

I will build enough to put one in each bee yard and make note of another hive in same yard of similar strength and compare to see if any difference in yield.

I will video the entrances lower vs upper also.