# HOT HOT weather here.... Bees are feeling it!



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

My TBHs have a full width top entrance similar to those pictured at this Michael Bush page:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm
That entrance functions well to also provide air exchange.

As far as 'open' screened bottoms, keep in mind that bees actively cool their brood nest with water. Since they want a constant brood nest temperature of 93-94 degrees, a constant 'hot' breeze coming through a screened bottom will make it _harder _for them to cool the hive when the outside ambient temperature exceeds 94 degrees.


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

Well its too late for a screen bottom anyway, so that's not an issue, but its also too late to have a top entrance too. I was thinking about drilling a hole in the false back and putting some screen over it.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

On many TBH designs, simply leaving a space (perhaps 1/2" wide or so) where the first bar would otherwise go will provide a top entrance.


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## ginkgo (Apr 26, 2013)

What about driving some T-posts and suspending a shade cloth above the hive?


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Can you raise your outer cover to provide ventilation above the bars and then move the bars back like Radar mentioned? That would be the easiest way to cool it down.


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

I can do that, but won't that mess up the bee space?


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## JakeDatc (Apr 19, 2010)

you only need to move the front bar back 3/8" from the front which they will leave the gap as entrance space just like they do with the drilled holes now. everything behind it will stay tight the same as it is now.

From Michael's site


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

What if I move the false back 3/8 so there is a place for air to flow?


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## JakeDatc (Apr 19, 2010)

Or take the false back/ follower board out completely and let them have the whole box to fill as they grow. I prescribed to Michaels idea that they aren't needed. They move backwards at their own pace and build comb as they need it.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Dakota said:


> What if I move the false back 3/8 so there is a place for air to flow?


If the roof isn't open I can't imagine much ventilation gain. And if it's closed I think you run the risk of them deciding to build comb up there.


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

The roof DOES have space underneath for air flow. The girls frequently go in the small cavity randomly. There are two wood pieces as handles that the roof rests on, so it lifts is up 3/8" or so above the bars.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

How many bars do you have before the follower?


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

11 if I remember correctly... but the swarm I caught is HUGE (5.5+ pounds) so they fill it up pretty nicely as of now. I actually had it down to 8 bars because the other swarms were a LOT smaller...


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## HappyBeeing (Apr 6, 2013)

ginkgo said:


> What about driving some T-posts and suspending a shade cloth above the hive?


Shade is what I do,anchored down easy pop up yard canopy. It gets up to 107 here (last year over 100 many days,over 3 months!) with no collapsed comb (but I don't open up either except first or last light on those weeks). NO venting of any sort to the hive was needed. I left my screen door closed too since I figured the bees could regulate easier with a constant, not changeable hive,and night temps swung wildly.


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

If I remove the follower, do I rise them making wonky comb?


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## Sovek (Apr 27, 2014)

The follower board does not prevent wonky comb unless you have a habbit of not tending your hive for a month or so, then its just not as much. I'm with Micheal Bush on the whole follower board not need bit as well, except for the winter and insulate the unused portion, thats its only benefit that I can think of.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

You should have the opening at the front of the hive. That is where the bees are so it is easy for them to defend. If it is in front of the follower you would constantly be shifting the entrance. The bees generally have entrances at the brood nest in nature, that is where they like it.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

http://www.bushfarms.com/beestopbarhives.htm#ventilation

The bees cool they hive by evaporation, so they need a way to move dry air in and moist air out, but in a controlled manner. If it's over 94 F outside and they bottom is wide open they can't cool the hive as the hive quickly is filled with air that is over the limit of 94 F. It's hard to air condition your house with the door wide open...


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

Well, I decided to move the follower board to the back, so hopefully that will have them more space as to not roast the inside of a much smaller volume jammed packed with bees.


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

For my hive last summer, I had a gap at the far end of the hive that my standard bar wouldn't fit. Since I hadn't built any spacer bars yet, I just used the plastic mesh sheets you can find at an arts & crafts store to make up the difference. I taped the ends down with duct tape. Since then, I have built my spacer bars so the top is completely sealed, but I noticed a lot of bearding outside my TBH yesterday when temps in VA hit 95. I think I'm going to put the "plastic vent" back in so when the air flows under the cover, it will pull out some of that hot air.

Not sure how your cover fits on the hive. Mine is a piece of shaped aluminum that snuggly holds both end pieces. It can be lifted up to allow about 3/4inch of space between the topbars and the roof. I've not have any problem with the bees building up there since I'm in the hive every 10-15 days.


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## Epclayton (Sep 29, 2013)

My vent is working great. 
In the top of the bar that hold the divider board use a router and make a 3/4" slot in the top bar about 6" long favoring one side (the hive side). Cut through the top bar and into the one side of the divider board. Put #2hardware cloth on the inside. The bees can adjust the size to their liking. Air comes in the hive entrance, through the hive, then out the top of the divider board into the attic. This design requires an attic, and attic vents as we'll.


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## estreya (Apr 20, 2014)

Epclayton, that vent looks beautiful! I'm sure your girls will appreciate being so well taken care of.

In my little corner of the Pacific Northwest, we're creeping up on 90 degrees today. So although i'm betwixt and between about whether or not it was the right thing to do, we unplugged the entrance reducers so there would be a little more air flow today. It was getting pretty crowded from a "traffic" perspective anyway, so here's hoping they won't object to the change.


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## shannonswyatt (May 7, 2012)

Nice idea. You could also just put a hole in the follower and cover it with hardware cloth assuming the empty portion of the hive has no bars in it.


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## Dakota (Apr 26, 2014)

ugh.. It's officially hit over 100. . . My poor girls.


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