# Venting top bar hive?



## trishbookworm (Jun 25, 2016)

There is a publication called "constructive beekeeping" that takes the view that the bees can control ventilation just fine, thank you, so let them do so and they won't waste honey fighting our management. I'm paraphrasing his take, of course! http://www.survivorlibrary.com/library/constructive_beekeeping_1918.pdf This is much easier for top bar folks to do since a screened bottom is often too hard to add for those DIYers. (though we still manage sometimes!). 

If there is too much moisture from nectar being converted to honey, then the bees can funnel drier air in and cooler air out. They also use condensation on the sides to their advantage (when reducing nectar). If it's 90 degrees and 90% humidity, nothing will help and they won't bother. If it's 60 out and 90% humidity, warmer air in the hive hits cooler side walls... causing removal of dampness from HIVE CONTROLLED air. But not as true if open to the bottom...

Langstroth didn't have screened bottoms for ventilation, and he got lots of honey. Doolittle didn't either and he got on average 100 lbs/hive (including duds). 

So these factors dictate my entrance management for the bees - let them control airflow, I control how hard it is for a pest to get in.


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## will52100 (Jun 8, 2015)

Good information, thanks. I was concerned, but I haven't seen the bees doing anything but keep building and filling comb and keep multiplying, so I guess if they need ventilation nobody told them. Just got to thinking about how most TBH's have a vented screened bottom, and I've got feeder and trap jars and solid bottom and 6 1" openings in one end. Seems I heard somewhere they need ventilation for making honey, but they look like they are happy as is.


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## Jonesjungle (Apr 15, 2014)

I live where our summers are dry with little humidity and have days over 110f occasionally. My top bar hives have screened bottoms that can be closed. With that kind of heat I keep the bottoms closed because they have no chance of maintaining the temp or cooling it off with that heat pouring in. I use vent bars. They are flat bottomed and the same width as my top bars. They have 5 or 6 3/4 in. holes drilled across the length and # 8 screen stapled on. I keep 1 in front of the follower board with 3 empty bars before the last comb. No more fallen comb. The bees will plug them if they're not needed. The hives also have peaked roofs with screened vents on both ends. Corks are used to close them if needed. They are also shaded in the summer above and on the west side from noon on.


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## tmwilson (Apr 5, 2015)

No ventilation or sbb on my tbh. I do have 3 upper and 3 lower entrances in the end of each hive. Summers can be quite humid here and winter normally has some very cold spells. Only 4 years but no troubles so far on condensation or ventilation.


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## will52100 (Jun 8, 2015)

Good to know, thanks. So far they seem very happy and industrious, so will leave them to it.


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## Jon Wolff (Apr 28, 2013)

My bees do well with minimal ventilation and it gets very hot and humid here in the summer. I keep a ventilation bar in the back of the hive and if I leave more than one hole open, the bees will often propolise them closed. The key, I've found, it to keep my roofs propped up so that air can flow freely and not get trapped below it.


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