22mm Entrance

[Beechcomber]

Busy making some 5 frame nuc boxes. I have read somewhere that a 22mm diameter hole underneath the nuc is the way to go. This deters robbing and wasps. I know some of the small mating nuc have this arrangement but do you think it is a good idea for a larger colony or even a full size colony?

 

[Poly Hive]

No.

My nucs have a 50mm entrance and at times when they are nice and strong like now it is on the small side. You can always make it smaller if needed but if it's small to start with you are a bit limited?

PH

 

[Heather]

Whilst on the entrance subject -

Do you remove entrance bar totally in the winter when mouseguard in place?

Do you leave it in place with the opening at the base?

Do you reverse the opening to have the opening at the top of the entrance area so that dead bees don't block the entrance in winter?

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I think wasps will try wherever the entrance is.
With an underneath hole maybe you just can't see the wasps so easily so don't think they are a problem?
(Also a pig to reduce the size of the opening as you can't see what you're doing)

Wasps have also eaten their way through the bottom opening of a poly mating nuc of mine - unbeknown to me at the time. I am going to block them up over winter. I'd rather see what's going on. A front bottom is much better than the alternative!

 

[Heather]

- if you can see the entrance you can assess any problem - the devious wasps will get in everywhere- and they are always circulating under the hive anyway- like sharks around meat

 

[MuswellMetro]

A front bottom is much better than the alternative!

Isn't that rude should it not be on the adult forum

 

[Heather]

Depends on the front! From my perspective......

 

[mbc]

We probably all agree that wasps this time of year are ars**les

 

[susbees]

Wasps have also eaten their way through the bottom opening of a poly mating nuc of mine - unbeknown to me at the time. I am going to block them up over winter. I'd rather see what's going on. A front bottom is much better than the alternative!

We've just collected three Keilers back from a mating apiary (not happy situation as he hadn't called us to collect them at the same time as the others the previous w/e and the wasps had then focussed on them robbing one out completely and the laying queen had vanished from another). One had had a section chewed from the hole that goes through to the bottom allowing entrance through the floor. He was unaware of this...I saw a wasp go underneath and commented, to which the reply was...oh they can't get in...
Not so .