Quick one? (Maybe)

[Brigsy]

Entrance block: Gap at the top or bottom?

I thank you.

Brigsy.


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[Robbo8916]

Entrance block: Gap at the top or bottom?

I thank you.

Brigsy.


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Bottom

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

bottom every time

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks. I have something in my head that I read about having the space uppermost so if dead bees block the gap they can climb over?

Is this just bullshine?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks. I have something in my head that I read about having the space uppermost so if dead bees block the gap they can climb over?

Is this just bullshine?

some beeks believe that it's better to have the gap uppermost during the winter - Clive De Bruyn is one - my take is that with the gap uppermost the bees can't just chuck out the dead when it's too cold to carry them away so you get more corpses building up thus more chance of things getting clogged up.

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks a million.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

some beeks believe that it's better to have the gap uppermost during the winter - Clive De Bruyn is one - my take is that with the gap uppermost the bees can't just chuck out the dead when it's too cold to carry them away so you get more corpses building up thus more chance of things getting clogged up.

JBM, Do you use an entrance block with your "under floor entrances"?

CVB

 

[BeeJayBee]

Entrance at the bottom, in line with the floor.

some beeks believe that it's better to have the gap uppermost during the winter - Clive De Bruyn is one - my take is that with the gap uppermost the bees can't just chuck out the dead when it's too cold to carry them away so you get more corpses building up thus more chance of things getting clogged up.

^^^^ And now you know what to say when the 'entrance at the top of the block' beeks tell you you're wrong!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

JBM, Do you use an entrance block with your "under floor entrances"?

CVB

No need - leave them the full entrance all winter, they can just drop all the corpses out through the hole onto the entrance porch and clear them away when it gets warmer (they do pile up sometimes )
All the association apiary hives have standard floors though, which I and Redwood manage.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

No need - leave them the full entrance all winter, they can just drop all the corpses out through the hole onto the entrance porch and clear them away when it gets warmer (they do pile up sometimes )
All the association apiary hives have standard floors though, which I and Redwood manage.

Thanks for that. For the sake of completeness, for anybody thinking about using an Under-Floor-Entrance, can you confirm that you don't need mouse guards and wasps tend not to be a problem with UFEs?

Thanks again

CVB

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks for that. For the sake of completeness, for anybody thinking about using an Under-Floor-Entrance, can you confirm that you don't need mouse guards and wasps tend not to be a problem with UFEs?

Thanks again

CVB

As long as you make the entrance apertures narrow enough (8/9 mm) you shouldn't have issues with mice. When I started using these floors some time ago I sat watching hives with both conventional and underfloor entrances and observed wasps studiously avoiding the underfloor entrances and trying their luck with the stronger colonies with conventional floors. I think it's the fact that wasps are at a disadvantage with having to climb up and pop their heads into the hive where they are greeted with guards lining both sides of the aperture.

 

[bjosephd]

JBM…

I've just looked back through the archives to have a gander at your under floor entrance & plans… not having much luck… the old links from when you posted your plans don't seem to be active anymore (nor the plans below yours from Erichalfbee).

I'd be keen to have a look again and am curious to the various benefits… the sun is out and I'm in the mood for woodworking and reinventing the wheel!

And I imagine your wheel is a good place to start!

Do you find many benefits with such a floor? (aside from the wasp fun)

Blah.. I'm rambling… I'll be back after checking a couple of hives and reminding the girls there is NO need to swarm!

Thanks!

BJD

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Benefits wise, bees not so affected by a crosswind when landing, the 4" depth also means less wind effect on the OMF - I find the entrances are a doddle to close up for moving as well - just acquire an old foam sofa cussion or similar and cut into 4" square blocks - just stuff into the entrance and job done in seconds without having to fidle around with a hive tool trying to push a bit of foam into a 10mm entrance.
Plans attached

 

[Cussword]

Thanks for that. For the sake of completeness, for anybody thinking about using an Under-Floor-Entrance, can you confirm that you don't need mouse guards and wasps tend not to be a problem with UFEs?

Thanks again

CVB

If you make the gap that the bees enter 8mm, mice cannot get through. Also, when I showed one to one our "older" members, she said she was sure that wasps couldn't get in either. Something about them preferring to fly in rather than climb up.

OK, I answered without realising there was two pages... Also mine are a copy of JBM's.


.

 

[bjosephd]

Benefits wise, bees not so affected by a crosswind when landing, the 4" depth also means less wind effect on the OMF - I find the entrances are a doddle to close up for moving as well - just acquire an old foam sofa cussion or similar and cut into 4" square blocks - just stuff into the entrance and job done in seconds without having to fidle around with a hive tool trying to push a bit of foam into a 10mm entrance.
Plans attached

Ah yes! I've also thought that the wind effect on the OMF is not insignificant. I'm currently experimenting with using a ML Lang brood box as the basis to change into a a 'deep' OMF to avoid the wind blasting right up their bottoms! And if I can further adjust it to have an under floor entrance then fabulous. (ML's brood, super, and shallow super are all the same price so I went for brood as a basis, but could equally use any of those other depths, but I got more wood for the money!)

Also hence the hunt for budget mesh.

Thanks for that… that's given me some good ideas.