Hive entrance size

[Aggravated]

I have two colonies at present, one a nuc that was overwintered, and the other a swarm. Both of them are doing OK, and are on 6 or 7 frames, can I enlarge the entrance yet, the opening is about 50mm by 8mm, if so what does everybody recommend, the whole block out, or open in stages, maybe 25mm at a time. The hive base is OMF
Regards to all

 

[oliver90owner]

one a nuc that was overwintered

Time to transfer to a full hive, maybe?

All mine are on full width entrances and have been for a long time.

 

[MandF]

Why do you want to open the entrance?

There is no need unless they have lots of debris on the floor (dead bees) you want to make their life easier to remove?

 

[Aggravated]

Thank you, the nuc is in a full size, but with a dummy board in, the bees seem happy enough, but I am not sure if they are just staying in because of the bad weather
Agg

 

[Finman]

.
I look entrance size according of amount of ventilators. Solid bottoms.

 

[MandF]

As Finman (I think) was suggesting, if you have an open mesh floor they will have enough ventilation via that for the hive.

Having a smaller entrance wont hinder them unduly, and it is especially useful to have a smaller entrance when you dont have a full hive as it makes it easier for them to defend against robbers/wasps etc.

 

[oliver90owner]

I look entrance size according of amount of ventilators. Solid bottoms.

Mine are on OMF, so I only close them down a bit (or a lot) if wasps are a threat, which is certainly not the case at this present time. Generally most colonies have a full width entrance throughout the winter (apart from those with short mouse guards fitted). With 14 x 12s the bees have more opportunity to move upwards between the comb, away from the OMF ini winter, than with single deep boxes. The entrance has little effect on temperature in the hive (at floor level) unless on solid floors with the entrance facing the prevailing wind (or an icy blast from the East).

 

[susbees]

As Finman (I think) was suggesting, if you have an open mesh floor they will have enough ventilation via that for the hive.

Having a smaller entrance wont hinder them unduly, and it is especially useful to have a smaller entrance when you dont have a full hive as it makes it easier for them to defend against robbers/wasps etc.

Blocks in on OMF unless there's a heavy flow on: fewer guards and less hassle with potential robbers/wasps. Saying that I've a mind to double the width on some blocks...why on earth are the ones supplied with floors all the same?

How big was your nuc coming out of winter? I'd be concerned if a nuc was only on six or seven frames at this stage of the season unless it was very small.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I've had a colony this year that, for a while, had 18 frames of brood (a daft amount I know and all from the same queen) and that was fine with an entrance of around 6" wide. (OMF, poly national). Wasp numbers will start to increase now so if there's no point in opening the entrance, then leave be.
The standard entrance of 7/8" high and about 16" long is bigger than needed nearly all of the time - esp with the mesh floors we generally use now.

 

[Finman]

The standard entrance of 7/8" high

How can you measure so accurately = 0,875 inch ? = 22 mm

 

[VEG]

with a measuring tape

 

[Finman]

.
I looked measures of ordinary saw material. Thicknes of usual boards are

19 mm
22 mm
25 mm
32 mm

So you must find a proper board...
and then you saw it...

 

[user 6228]

seeley's research shows that bee's prefer nest entrances less than a certain area IRC 30 sq cm.
Observation suggests you need a minimum of 2 bee heights ( bees leaving upside down and bees entering right way up) about 10 mm ?
so make it 300mm or less by 10mm

 

[Finman]

.
In langstroth 20 mm is usual (?) gap in bottom board. It is handy that entrance is same size.
But I use here still entrance reducers. The gap is about 10 mm. Tomorrow and so on I take some hives to spring rape field. There entrances will be totally open.


Today I made again a slating bottom boar. It is 15 mm in back corner and 70 mm in front.