# Upper Hive enterance



## kilnrat (Feb 10, 2010)

I would like comments of how those that use an upper hive enterance manage it. I have never used one, but have been thinking along that line. I use 2 Med 8-frame brood boxes and have a queen excluder and to medium supers on top of that. In checking my hive recently, the top brood box use full of capped honey and the bees had a larger amount of burr comb between frames than I had seen in the past. The hive is loaded w/ bees and I removed four frames of honey w/ bees and made a split adding a queen that I had available. If the bees are going to rebuild the foundation and fill w/ honey I was considering adding a top enterance so it would be easier for the bees to reach the honey supers. However, they didn't seem to be having too much problems so far since the supers were also loaded w/ bees. Thoughts and comments would be appreciated. Kilnrat


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I use 2 Med 8-frame brood boxes and have a queen excluder 

My colonies need at lest four or five eight frame mediums for brood.

>and to medium supers on top of that. In checking my hive recently, the top brood box use full of capped honey and the bees had a larger amount of burr comb between frames than I had seen in the past. 

That is typical of a bottom entrance and an excluder. I use neither a bottom entrance nor an excluder.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

I agree with mike, Top entrances are the way to go/ I have used a modified erime type for years. The only difference is I use bottom entrances to start with and when the hive is ready for a super I switch to a top entrance. Drop me a PM and I can send you pics of what I made.


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## mmiller (Jun 17, 2010)

gmcharlie said:


> Drop me a PM and I can send you pics of what I made.


How about posting your pics on here?

Mike


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## Allen (Oct 5, 2011)

I'd like to see them too.


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## Desert Viking Ranch (Mar 1, 2011)

Here is how I ran my upper entrances last year (directly above the brood boxes): 









The spacer is just 1"x2" furring strips stapled together on three sides. I don't use that garden cover anymore really, its too heavy and gets in the way. I use all migratory covers now. This year I may also slide each super back about an inch as well to see how that works.


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## TWall (May 19, 2010)

I use upper entrances on almost all my hives. My inner covers all have a 5"x3/8" opening incorporated into them. Most inner covers have ventilation too so a telescoping or migratory cover is raised enough not to block opening. In cases where the cover my block the opening I sit the cover far enough back the front edge rests on top of the inner cover. 

When I use a QE I put a 3/8" shim on top of the QE that is open across the front. This creates two entrances. I do this with strong hives and the bees usually use both entrances.

Tom


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## juzzerbee (Apr 17, 2012)

I had a similar question to top entrances posted as well(when wanting to have an opening between the 1st and 2nd brood boxes). I was going to use the outer frame of an inner cover(without the masonite panel) and put a notch in it . It seems as if I am sort of creating an Imrie Shim????? Some opinions from others have been that there may be a lot of burr comb created between the 2 deep brood boxes where I was going to place this "extra entrance." What do others do when they want their bees to enter the box from above the frames that they are working on???? Since my bees enter/exist from above the 1st deep more than the bottom at this time, I would assume they will continue this once I add my 2nd deep. Thanks and sorry for adding my own question to the thread. juzzerbee


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## Daddy'sBees (Jul 1, 2010)

I use only top entrances. I also only use 8-frame mediums for everything. Mr Bush is right. After about 4 brood boxes, I put an entrance on very similar to Desert Viking Ranch's setup. I do however use queen excluders. Not so much for keeping the queen down in the brood boxes, but to keep her in the hive. This is because I raise, catch swarms of, and do tons of cut-outs our local feral bees. The feral bees are wild as they(or their ancestors) have swarmed at some point or they would still be in a hive. Their very nature is to swarm more than most breeds of bees, thus the excluder help keep her put in her new hive.


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

Here is how I made mine with a shim and a 1/4" piece of wood for a landing strip.


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## juzzerbee (Apr 17, 2012)

sfisher- That is the approach I have been thinking about for my setup. The landing strip is creative too! What is the height(thickness) of the shim that you made? How long have you been doing that with your hives? Any problems with it where you are at? I have read that it is not good to put additional space between boxes or supers. I checked my hive today after an inspection 2 days ago(I put on my second deep today) and there were about 3 clumps of burr comb on top of my frames in both hives. I am fairly sure this is because I use my inner cover upside down with a notch in it. It seems that the bees do not like the extra space that is created when the inner is upside down Or will they always create burr comb when they are "cruising" along with comb making? Thanks, juzzerbee


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## kilnrat (Feb 10, 2010)

Hey Jim, thanks for the photo -- a couple of questions ... the small hole on the bottom brood box --is that a bottom enterance and does it have much activity? Do you switch to the upper enterance when you add the queen excluder and supers and when do you return to the bottom enterance? Thanks for the help. Kilnrat


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## Eyeshooter (Mar 8, 2008)

I use a SBB, bottom and top entrances. I use 3/8" shims attached to the inner cover so the top entrance is always above the top super (thanks, MB). The bottom entrance is open in the summer and closed in the winter. SBB remains throughout the year. Some of the hives use one or the other entrance and some use both. I never use a queen excluder except on a hive that I'm using to raise queens...

John


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## Desert Viking Ranch (Mar 1, 2011)

kilnrat said:


> Hey Jim, thanks for the photo -- a couple of questions ... the small hole on the bottom brood box --is that a bottom enterance and does it have much activity? Do you switch to the upper enterance when you add the queen excluder and supers and when do you return to the bottom enterance? Thanks for the help. Kilnrat


The bottom entrance is a drone escape hole, there is a queen excluder in that picture right underneath the spacer. I don't normally run a queen excluder, but you have to have a drone escape if you do. Occasionally I see field bees using the drone escape, but not many. Here in Arizona I run SBB all year round and only switch to a bottom (reduced to 2 inches) entrance for a few months in the winter. I probably don't need to at all however as we don't have very harsh winters and there is next to no moisture.


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## willyC (May 6, 2010)

gmcharlie said:


> I agree with mike, Top entrances are the way to go/ I have used a modified erime type for years. The only difference is I use bottom entrances to start with and when the hive is ready for a super I switch to a top entrance. Drop me a PM and I can send you pics of what I made.


Love to see it as well.


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

Juzzerbee here is a link to my hive top enterence build.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?268185-My-new-hive-top-enterence

I have not been doing this very long but I have not noticed any problems with burr comb, probably because it is made with a real shim, that tapers down to nothing instead of 5/16 of a inch added to there bee space.


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## juzzerbee (Apr 17, 2012)

Sfisher-Thanks for the link I think that will be my upcoming summer project for my hives. BTW-Muskies tremble when they hear MY name!!!


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

okay, wasn't sure how, but I think I got it...


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

nothing, but a blank. haveing trouble posting yet!


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

Desert Viking Ranch said:


> Here is how I ran my upper entrances last year (directly above the brood boxes):
> View attachment 2022


Any major issues with bur comb? I am thinking of putting one of these entrances between the brood chambers. (trying to get the advantages of both top and bottom entrances).


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## Desert Viking Ranch (Mar 1, 2011)

RiodeLobo said:


> Any major issues with bur comb? I am thinking of putting one of these entrances between the brood chambers. (trying to get the advantages of both top and bottom entrances).


I've noticed a lot of people seem overly concerned (IMO) with maintaining the "perfect hive" as I like to call it. To each their own, but a little burr comb is no issue with me, and although I didn't notice much last year I will monitor again this year. Nothing I would note as a major issue, although that is subjective depending on who you talk to. I also run my mediums at 7 1/4" deep versus the standard depth 6 5/8" of mediums, causing a violation of bees space between the top-bottom of frames. My reasons are simple:

#1. Its easier - less cutting of wood as I make my own boxes (only one cut using 1x8 boards)
#2. A little extra comb is a good thing - I use beeswax for a lot of different applications


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## juzzerbee (Apr 17, 2012)

gmcharlie- The posting of pics is a real pain and confusing. I tried over and over and finally it worked for me. How,??? I have no idea. Try posting it as an atachment to your posting instead of an image to be uploaded. And once it's there I couldn't change or delete the image, so make sure that you choose your image wisely. Good luck!! juzzerbee


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## RiodeLobo (Oct 11, 2010)

Desert Viking Ranch said:


> I've noticed a lot of people seem overly concerned (IMO) with maintaining the "perfect hive" as I like to call it. To each their own, but a little burr comb is no issue with me, and although I didn't notice much last year I will monitor again this year.


 You have not seen my hives obviously. I think I will add the entrances this weekend. Thanks for the info.


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## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

well trying again


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## kilnrat (Feb 10, 2010)

Question since you seem to have been using the upper entrances for a number of years. When you hear that bees generally move up is there an issue of the queen staying in the one or two brood boxes or do they become unused. I assume when installing a package, one would start with a bottom enterance in a single brood box and expand as needed. Is the point of going to a upper enterance done when the first super is added? If so, without a queen excluder, how the the two bottom brood boxes fair?? Thanks for all the imput from everyone, it's good to get comments from so many beekeepers who have tried different approaches to this question. Kilnrat


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