Colander Hive - preview.

[Little John]

Yes, but it makes no sense to play that in real beekeeping.

But nobody's talking about 'real beekeeping' - only experimentation.
LJ

 

[Swarm]

Certainly in my overwintering poly hives with frames warm way the brood nest is af the front of the hive with stores behind

But you've just been conclusively told it ain't so lol.
And should you decide to move them cold way, they soon alter the alignment of each frame so the stores are above and behind the brood.

 

[Finman]

But nobody's talking about 'real beekeeping' - only experimentation.
LJ

You just do it. First thing is that holes are too small to bee traffic. But you can change that thing easily.

 

[Little John]

I'm still new to all of this but my thought or concern could be a wasp problem with so many entrances to defend.

Good - somebody's catching on ... that's why they are of small diameter! With both wasps and robbing in mind.

Most of my full-sized hives have 4x 22mm circular hole entrances, although for much of the year they run with just 2 open. All nucs have 2x 22mm dia holes. If you 'run the numbers' (pi-r-squared) to get the entrance area, you'll find that 14x 11mm holes have a very similar area to 4x 22mm.
More importantly, I think, are observations made of 'traffic movement' through my standard 22mm dia holes. Usually 2 bees either enter or exit or pass each other through such holes - that's 8 bee-movements at any one time, through 4 holes. Very occasionally - as when a flow is on - 3 bees may cross paths through one hole.

So - 8 bee-movements, occasionally 12. With 11mm holes, there can only be one bee-movement at any one time (so they're easily defended), and with the number of holes provided, that's a possible 14 bee-movements - more than with my standard 4x 22mm dia holes.

Now, needless to say, none of this is anywhere near definite, or accurate, it's just the sort of thinking that went into deciding how many holes to provide and how large they should be.
FWIW, I started by considering a single vertical slot entance, cut from top to bottom - but that isn't very practical. Why a continuous slot ? - because that removes any 'step-choice'. But I'm hoping that a large number of holes will approximate to such a slot.

Why not simply one entrance at the top, and another at the bottom ? - because that might influence an 'either/or' exclusive-logic choice. In practice there may be a tendency to select towards the bottom, or the top, or even towards the middle - or - there may be no selection at all. I'm actually rather hoping that there will be no selection made, and that the bees will adjust their comb construction accordingly.

But - they will do what they will do. And, if anything of significance should occur, then a more comprehensive experiment could be conducted next year, employing far more boxes.
LJ

 

[Brigsy]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Finman]

.
When I have 8 boxes in the hive, upper entrances are open in each box

Main entrance, first upper hole open.
Next upper hole closed.
Next open.

In the honey boxes only one hole open.

If I keep more open, hive is too cool.
I can see when bees do not store honey near hole entrance.

But when bees fly into third brood box, they store pollen next to entrance hole.

Nowadays I do box entrance into hand held grove.

 

[pargyle]

They know nothing. All education is bad. It makes people too smart.

In some cases ... not in others !

 

[Finman]

In some cases ... not in others !

10% are hopeless

.

 

[pargyle]

But nobody's talking about 'real beekeeping' - only experimentation.
LJ

Ignore the Finnish contingent - if it's not his way it's the wrong way. I would take bets that they fill some of the holes as they won't like the draughts - whether it's top or bottom I would not like to guess as I've seen bees that prefer both ...

My Long hive had the best of both with a periscope entrance - so, the bees came in at the bottom of the hive but the entrance was at the top - great for them to defend and there's no heat loss from the top entrance. Plus, as the front of it is clear you can really see what they are bringing in ... Perhaps after you've played with this idea you should put a periscope on the top of the holes and watch and see which ones they prefer to enter the hive through ?

I like experiments - we sometimes learn something - rarely what you find printed in the books or trotted out endlessly by the experts - go for it.

Here's my periscope entrance...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/albums/72157644091488819

 

[mintmoth]

If the bees use more than one of the entrances, what if they differentiate according to what they are bringing to the hive? Pollen at the top, nectar at the bottom, water in the middle and so on. Wouldn't that be fascinating?

And wouldn't it be fun if you number the bees so you could tell if the entrance they first use when making orientation flights is the one they use exclusively till they die?

 

[Michael Palmer]

Yes, but it makes no sense to play that in real beekeeping.

Oh yes it does. I don't want my bees locating the brood rearing cluster high in the hive. One reason why I disagree with the beekeepers...think BeeSource...who have only top entrances.

 

[Finman]

Oh yes it does. I don't want my bees locating the brood rearing cluster high in the hive. One reason why I disagree with the beekeepers...think BeeSource...who have only top entrances.

I move the brood frames down and honey frames up, if needed

My brood area is nicely in bottom boxes and I regulate it with entrance reducer.
Ventilating is main method how I control the site of brood.

Yes, that Michael Bushes "only upper entrance" is impossible thing. For example a hive produces lots of rubbish onto bottom, which must be moved out.

Our professionals do so, that they do not use excluder before main yield. The queen may lay as much as it can. Then before main yield they put excluder so that bees over winter in one langstroth boc on in two mediums.
.
But guys have many systems.

My " no excluder" is slow to nurse.
.

 

[pargyle]

Back to that odd question.

When two boxes are full of brood, it is as near entrance as back all.

Funny issue.

You can see the brood figure in there frames, where brood has been. It has been in the centre of the frame. Never tilted towards entrance
.

Well Finnie - there's hope for you yet ! I didn't realise you were a late life convert to natural beekeeping ?

https://workwithnaturebees.wordpress.com/

 

[Finman]

Well Finnie - there's hope for you yet ! I didn't realise you were a late life convert to natural beekeeping ?

https://workwithnaturebees.wordpress.com/

Mercy... I do not want your "hope".

I am master of science in biology. And then, a master of hope.

You just do all kind of huts to bees. Nothing natural in those.
A carpenter, I would say, who do not know what to do.

 

[pargyle]

Mercy... I do not want your "hope".

I am master of science in biology.

You just do all kind of huts to bees. Nothing natural in those.
A carpenter, I would say, who do not know what to do.

Well ... at least you have some photos of MY hives ... I've shown you mine - what about you showing us your's rather than photos you nick from someone else on the internet ? Here's a few more of mine to encourage you ... come on give us an internet first ... Finnies Finnish hives ...

 

[Finman]

Well ... at least you have some photos of MY hives ... I've shown you mine - what about you showing us your's rather than photos you nick from someone else on the internet ? Here's a few more of mine to encourage you ... come on give us an internet first ... Finnies Finnish hives ...

Beauty...

I do not know how to use camera

 

[pargyle]

Beauty...

I do not know how to use camera

It's that little button on your phone that says 'Camera' or possibly 'Kamera' where you live .. point, press, save, post ... even I can do it and I'm just a two hive carpenter without 8 degrees !

 

[Finman]

It's that little button on your phone that says 'Camera' or possibly 'Kamera' where you live .. point, press, save, post ... even I can do it and I'm just a two hive carpenter without 8 degrees !

There is no such button in this. And it is dark outside.

 

[pargyle]

There is no such button in this. And it is dark outside.

Excuses ... Excuses ... Here you are ... less than the cost of a jar of honey and you can get it in time for your first inspection - You could send us a video ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-DV-D...886205?hash=item23768e33bd:g:7YEAAOSwB09YJGyc

 

[Finman]

.
Everybody has nowadays here drone videos. Or they ask grand daughter to draw a picture.

Oh dear that overseas poking. Oh dear.