# Entrance Size



## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

There's one part of Seeley's work that does drive me slightly crazy (and it's over a minor point):

It is about entrance holes to a bait hive. This is what he states in "Bait Hives for Honeybees" (As recommendations for Bait Hive Design): 

"4. TOTAL ENTRANCE AREA: about 1-1/2 to 2 square inches (10 to 15 cm[SUP]2[/SUP]), a circular opening about 1-1/4 inch (3.2 cm) in diameter is suggested."

What bothers me is this (and I know this is a minor point), but 1-1/4" diameter entry is less than 1.5 sq. inches. A diameter of 1.5" (1-1/2") is between 1.5 and 2 square inches.

So my question is this:

What is the size of your bait hive entrance(s) (and shape) and how are your hives working for you?


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

I use 8 frame deeps and close down both sides of the regular opening,leaving about three inches open in the middle. Works for methough my average isn't as high as some.I usually get around 50% +/-. I do have picked spots.


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## tanksbees (Jun 16, 2014)

I don't know how to do math



crmauch said:


> There's one part of Seeley's work that does drive me slightly crazy (and it's over a minor point):
> 
> It is about entrance holes to a bait hive. This is what he states in "Bait Hives for Honeybees" (As recommendations for Bait Hive Design):
> 
> ...


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

My swarm trap entrances consist of two entrances about nine inches apart, both are 3/8" by 3/4". I have caught 18 swarms this year. Guess that blows the 1.5 to 2 Sq. In. theory to heck.


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## mcon672 (Mar 5, 2015)

7/8" round hole, it's the bit I had on hand. Some are 1" from last year. Caught 19 swarms so far this year. 18 traps.


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## Fishmaster50 (Apr 30, 2015)

Two 3/4 holes side by side and cut the rest out with jig saw. Set 4 boxes out and all caught swarms. One five two eight and a ten frame. I guess you can get them in just about any size. Plus swarm commander.


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## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

Area of a Circle: pi * r[SUP]2[/SUP] (The formula you listed is the circumference of a circle (2*pi*r or pi*d)):

to calculate r from a given circles area r = sqr(area/pi)

give area is 1.5": r = sqr(1.5/pi) = 0.690988 or diameter d (2*r) of aprox. 1.38"

2.0": r = sqr(2.0/pi) = 0.79788 or d = 1.59"

area of 1.25" diameter circle: pi*(0.625)[SUP]2[/SUP] = 1.23 in[SUP]2[/SUP]



tanksbees said:


> Punch this into google:
> 
> square root of (pi * 1.25)
> 
> A 1.25" diameter hole is 1.98 square inches


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## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

Hmmm: 2(0.375 * 0.75) = 0.5625 in[SUP]2[/SUP]

Yep, that a pretty small amount of area. From reading Seeley's book, too large of an entrance would cause the bees to reject a nest site. 



Tenbears said:


> My swarm trap entrances consist of two entrances about nine inches apart, both are 3/8" by 3/4". I have caught 18 swarms this year. Guess that blows the 1.5 to 2 Sq. In. theory to heck.


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## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

Very Approx.: 

2(area of circle) + 2(area of triangle)

2(pi*(0.375)[SUP]2[/SUP]) + 2(1/2(0.75)*(0.375))

2(0.441786) + 2(0.140625)

0.8836 + 0.28125 = 1.16 in[SUP]2[/SUP]

Less area than a 1.25" diameter hole, but not by that much.



Fishmaster50 said:


> Two 3/4 holes side by side and cut the rest out with jig saw. Set 4 boxes out and all caught swarms. One five two eight and a ten frame. I guess you can get them in just about any size. Plus swarm commander.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

crmauch said:


> area of 1.25" diameter circle: pi*(0.625)[SUP]2[/SUP] = 1.23 in[SUP]2[/SUP]



Well Actually it is 1.227184638513 :lpf:


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

1.5" inch hole in a "retired" 10 frame deep with a removable top and screwed on bottom. It's also the hole size used in making Eastern Blue bird houses.


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## tanksbees (Jun 16, 2014)

I stand corrected.



crmauch said:


> Area of a Circle: pi * r[SUP]2[/SUP] (The formula you listed is the circumference of a circle (2*pi*r or pi*d)):
> 
> to calculate r from a given circles area r = sqr(area/pi)
> 
> ...


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## popeye (Apr 21, 2013)

Big enough opening for my oxalic acid vaporizer to fit in. I'm two for three for baithive catches so far. I wait till they bring in pollen before I bring them home. Next early morning I vaporize them for mites before I even inspect the trap a few days later.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Mine are about 2" wide and 3/8" tall, which is about 3/4 square inches...


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

I just stack unused supers outside on a bottom board and a top 6 or 7 deeps high on a pallet - Catch swarms all summer long. Place pallets where there out of your way so you don't have to move them when found by the swarms - and they will be found


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