Warm way or cold way?

Otleybee · Mar 5, 2011

I am about to set up two new hives and wondered if there is a body of opinion on which works best.

Warm way is frames parallel to the hive entrance and cold way is perpendicular to the entrance.

Let the voting commence.

Mike a · Mar 5, 2011

I prefer the warm way with National hives.

oliver90owner · Mar 5, 2011

Shouldn't it be north-south (according to a new book out)?

Therefore Langstroths have had it right for most of the world. Entrance to the south (or north if you are in the southern hemisphere) and the frames are automatically N-S.

I use both, sometimes dependant on the required outcome. It might depend on from where one can most easily inspect, it might be as an anti-wasp measure, etc.

Nucs tend to be north-south, too.

Regards, RAB

For want of a better word · Mar 5, 2011

warm way is frames placed parallel to hive front presuming that entrance is at front,
cold way is at right angles to front, or parallel to sides.

Now can someone explain if the bee space should be at the top or bottom of the frame, mine all seemto be bottom spaced with the frame level with the top of the brood box super box etc,
but I have a load of WBC sized wood squares 7/8 " thick, mini ekes?

Are the any other dyslexic beeks out there???
and where is the spellchecker?

For want of a better word · Mar 5, 2011

oliver90owner said:
Shouldn't it be north-south (according to a new book out)?

Therefore Langstroths have had it right for most of the world. Entrance to the south (or north if you are in the southern hemisphere) and the frames are automatically N-S.

I use both, sometimes dependant on the required outcome. It might depend on from where one can most easily inspect, it might be as an anti-wasp measure, etc.

Nucs tend to be north-south, too.

Regards, RAB

Thanks TractorMan... my NUKS are N/S too!!

Queens59 · Mar 5, 2011

One way in winter and the other in summer...

RoofTops · Mar 5, 2011

And a warm welcome again to the 200th appearance of this debate...

DanBee · Mar 5, 2011

RoofTops said:
And a warm welcome again to the 200th appearance of this debate...

What was the consensus of the previous debates?! :willy_nilly:

DanBee · Mar 5, 2011

icanhopit said:
Now can someone explain if the bee space should be at the top or bottom of the frame

Dangerous to mix both topics as beekeepers cannot generally agree on either; doing so simply spirals into confusion with little or no productive debate

Poly Hive · Mar 5, 2011

The consensus was a complete waste of time.

There is no warm and cold way on OMF.

PH (yawns)

DanBee · Mar 5, 2011

Thought so

Finman · Mar 5, 2011

-
Sence and nonsence way vote now!

There was ice on floor. It must be cold way.

jezd · Mar 5, 2011

icanhopit said:
warm way is frames placed parallel to hive front presuming that entrance is at front

can the entrance ever be anywhere but the front? lol

Finman · Mar 5, 2011

jezd said:
can the entrance ever be anywhere but the front? lol

No. I had on back wall but I closed it. A woodpekker has done some "back doors".

One hole was big. It was a cold way.

victor meldrew · Mar 5, 2011

Cold way is reported to have a slight advantage regards to relieving isolation starvation . Personally I like the cold way because I can work the hive from either side to avoid over stretching and to take advantage of lighting conditions.
The bees really don't care, 45 degrees to the entrance is common in feral colonies and I believe TBH enthusiasts often have the bees building 45 degrees to the alignment of the top bars ?

John Wilkinson

peterbees · Mar 5, 2011

If you work the bees from the rear of the hive, warm way avoids having to twist your upper body, and is more comfortable.

Finman · Mar 5, 2011

.
That warm or cold way is one of the favorits on forums.

Second favorit is "how to make 1:1 syrup".

The third: fast bottom of mesh bottom

and so on............

oliver90owner · Mar 5, 2011

can the entrance ever be anywhere but the front?

Certainly can! Never seen a Dartington?

RAB

Hombre · Mar 5, 2011

I'm with Victor and RAB on this one. Kewl floors and working from the sides gives slightly more flexibility. Think of the two sides as arcs meeting in the centre rear of the hive.

nonstandard · Mar 5, 2011

victor meldrew said:
.............Personally I like the cold way because I can work the hive from either side ................

John Wilkinson

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