Top Bar Hole Placement

[RLou]

To start this is my first hive and have only had it since spring plus, I don't know anyone that has a top bar. Add to that the information I have found seems that the top bars can very greatly in almost every aspect. In my effort to figure out what I was doing I had found something online that had the set up as using the middle hole and blocking off the box with a spacer immediately behind it so only half the box was open. The bees filled this up this amount of the box very quickly. I then opened the box to them with all of the rails covered in wax. I have done a couple of quick checks over the last few months and they seem to be multiplying hanging out on the floor and walls but not building comb past the opening in the middle. We are in a recorded breaking heat wave of triple digits here in South Texas so I have been observing from outside and waiting to open up for a complete inspection once temps are more reasonable. They are still bringing in pollen and seem to be running things as usual. Though hot.
Should I open two holes toward the end without comb then close off the middle one so there is more closed space before the opening?
Second question, the box faces the East and gets sun until noon but then shade the rest of the day. Of course they will come out and beard as well as often closing the entrance while buzzing like crazy to cool things down. There are three small screened vent holes along the front facing that can barely be seen in the pic. Should I screen the sun off the roof in someway while it's over 100?

I know I'm across the pond with different problems but I'm yet to find a forum with the quality of information and friendliness that I find here.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They don't need any ventilation holes.
Personally, I would forget about the middle hole and use either of the side entrances, that will mean they will have the brood nest at the entrance end and all the stores behind them so it is easier to harvest honey.
Out in Africa, they managed hives with entrances in the centre but have graduated to using just one entrance at the end of the box.

 

[RLou]

They don't need any ventilation holes.
Personally, I would forget about the middle hole and use either of the side entrances, that will mean they will have the brood nest at the entrance end and all the stores behind them so it is easier to harvest honey.
Out in Africa, they managed hives with entrances in the centre but have graduated to using just one entrance at the end of the box.

How would I move to doing that?
Gradual leaving two entrances then close the middle or just go for it and switch while they're out and it's not busy?

 

[RLou]

How would I move to doing that?
Gradual leaving two entrances then close the middle or just go for it and switch while they're out and it's not busy?

Also, should i plug up the vent holes with wine corks?
The lady I bought this from had never kept bees it came as a kit from what I gathered.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How would I move to doing that?

Just close two of the entrances leaving one on the Southernmost end open - they'll soon sort themselves out.

Also, should i plug up the vent holes with wine corks?

I would

 

[RLou]

Just close two of the entrances leaving one on the Southernmost end open - they'll soon sort themselves out.


I would

Many thanks!

 

[drex]

I have run similar top bars. They fare better with entrances at the end. I am with JBM, but I would open an end hole and only close the middle hole a couple of days later. In those temperatures I would put some insulation under the roof

 

[RLou]

Appreciate your feed back.
The weather has been wonky the last couple of years and we've had some harder than usual freezes as well.
Thinking insulation would be a good idea for both. Is there something that is standard for this?
I had bought Italian bees to make it easier for me being a newbie but referring now I didn't get some local feral ones.

 

[pargyle]

Appreciate your feed back.
The weather has been wonky the last couple of years and we've had some harder than usual freezes as well.
Thinking insulation would be a good idea for both. Is there something that is standard for this?
I had bought Italian bees to make it easier for me being a newbie but referring now I didn't get some local feral ones.

Insulation is a good idea on any hives but particularly good for Top Bar Hives. We use slabs of PIR this side of the pond - products like Kingspan and Cooltherm are sold in the USA and used extensively for insulation under the sidings of houses these days. There are usually cut offs available if you have any building works going on near you.

 

[drex]

Never had to buy any. Get more than enough from skip diving

 

[RLou]

Thanks so much for the advice, I'm on the foam board quest!