# extra entrance or not for HTBH?



## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

i have the bee thinking htbh

currently i have just the one entrance...but it's expanded all the way past the middle entrance and to the 3rd one on the end

should i open one of those? if so which one? middle or the one on the end?

gracias.


----------



## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

What is a utbh,,,I figured it was some sort of top bar hive.


----------



## solarguy (Jan 10, 2013)

http://www.beethinking.com/top-bar-hive

One of those very deluxe top bar hives.

troy


----------



## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

so, should i provide an extra entrance?


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

"5th Experiment: Increase in openings decreased ventilation.
We tried increasing the number of openings in the side of the box, but were not successful. One of the two candles went out at the end of 8 minutes. The other kept alight as long as the ventilator was in motion. I had therefore not obtained a stronger current by multiplying the openings."--Francis Huber, New Observations Upon Bees, 2012 edition, Volume II, Chapter VIII, pg 539


----------



## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

okay.

thanks mr. bush!


----------



## Tango Yankee (Mar 15, 2013)

I have the Bee Thinking TBH as well. My stronger colony hasn't gotten to the halfway point of the hive yet (they started at the right end if you're looking at it from the front. When they started to do a lot of bearding I opened the middle entrance. (All three of the top vents are open.) The only appreciable difference this made was to have a second area of bearding, albeit a much smaller one. They're mostly filling the opening and a bit above it, creating almost a teardrop shape. 

My other colony, which is struggling, does very little bearding but then again they have a much smaller population.

Regards,
Tom


----------



## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

it's been sweltering here....low to high 90's and even a couple days in the 100's

but it's cooling now. so, they are bearding on the outside for sure....

i'll leave it to one entrance. though they did fill up the top vented hole with propolis....i figure that's fine and leave them bee...they know what's best for their home so i don't mess with it.


----------



## Beethinking (Jun 2, 2008)

I usually only open 2 of the 3 entrances at most. While I appreciate Huber, I do see many bees fanning on both the first and the second entrances when I open the second one up. They don't often use it as an entrance for foragers, but mostly a place to hang out and fan. Be careful, though, with any hive, that you don't open too large of an entrance(s) for your colony to properly guard, especially as we enter the dearth in many parts of the country.

Best,
Matt


----------



## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

thank you matt!

also, is your beethinking forums back up? or are you thinking of dropping that part of beethinking?

all the best

rod


----------



## Beethinking (Jun 2, 2008)

Rod,

The Bee Thinking forum is back up. Sorry about that -- server issues.

Best,


----------



## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

sweet  

thank you much!


----------



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

If the entrances are right next to each other it is functionally one entrance as far as ventilation, just a bigger one, which is probably appropriate if there is enough traffic to warrant it and they are strong enough to guard it. I would not put them at the other end from the first ones...


----------



## thebalvenie (Feb 25, 2013)

sounds good to me.

thanks guys. glad i asked


----------



## Leather Jim (Jun 30, 2013)

thebalvenie said:


> it's been sweltering here....low to high 90's and even a couple days in the 100's
> 
> but it's cooling now. so, they are bearding on the outside for sure....
> 
> i'll leave it to one entrance. though they did fill up the top vented hole with propolis....i figure that's fine and leave them bee...they know what's best for their home so i don't mess with it.


Mine closed up the top vent hole last winter also, I opened it back up late spring, new screening also, they left it open. I'm sure they will close it when they need to. Point I'd you might want to open it back up for them, they have a hard time removing propolis.


----------

