The bee entrance is actually the entrance door to the hive and performs a number of important functions to create the proper microclimate inside the bee house, therefore, it requires special attention from the beekeeper. What are the requirements put forward for the tap hole, what shape and location it can have, how it is made, we will consider further.
What it is?
In the scientific literature on beekeeping, it is indicated that the entrance is a hole in the hive, which is made on the front wall of the housing and performs the following functions:
- provides honey bees with unhindered access to the outside world and back access to the hive;
- reliably protects bees from predators, rodents and other pests;
- allows you to regulate ventilation and natural air exchange inside the nest;
- can participate in the creation of forced ventilation;
- briefly delays the shoulders, which arrive with a bribe and fly out;
- allows you to quickly and comfortably clean the hives from debris and beesworm.
The entrance is an important part of the hive, as it provides bees with a comfortable entrance and exit to the house, and also promotes good ventilation at any time of the year.
Classification by shape and location
These are important characteristics of the "door", which will determine the microclimate inside the case.
By form
The hole can be of different shapes, depending on the design of the hive, the climate and the preferences of the beekeeper himself. Popular types are:
- Round... It is considered a versatile option and, according to many beekeepers, allows bees to comfortably fly out and fly into the house. It can be located at the top, center or bottom of the case.
- Rectangular... It has a length of 60-70 mm and a height of about 10 mm. Provides good ventilation to the shoulders, located both above and below the case. Mostly found in southern latitudes.
- Square... This form is not very popular and is more often used by beekeepers from the southern regions.
- Triangular... It is considered the most natural, since it is precisely such a gap that bees make themselves in a tree. Thus, many beekeepers who seek to create the most natural conditions for their insects cut a triangular entrance in the evidence.
- Full wall width... Such holes are typical for regions with a warm climate. They are not used in cold areas, since it is extremely difficult to maintain an optimal temperature regime in hives with such an entrance in winter. If the full width pass is made in multi-hull "Dadan" hives, they greatly facilitate the work of the bees, and also allow them not to waste energy on ventilation in hot weather.
By location
According to this parameter, entrances are often of two types:
- Lower... They are located slightly above the "floor" of the bee house. The optimal distance from the bottom edge is 6-7 cm. Popularly, such holes are called "trash" holes, because insects remove dead and debris through them. However, the lower entrances are the main ones, as they pass the main volumes of pollen and nectar. In accordance with the standard, the size of such a hole should be 200x10 mm, however, in multi-hive hives, it is made along the entire width of the bottom.
- Upper... Helps to protect the hive from thief bees and promote good air exchange. They come in different sizes and shapes, but are often made round (up to 20-25 mm in diameter) or longitudinal (12x10 mm in size). Such holes are drilled at a distance of 4-5 cm from the upper edge of the housing. In summer, their length is regulated by means of a minelayer, and in winter they are completely closed. For greater convenience, the upper notch is made rectangular, and its size is adjusted using a movable wooden block of the same shape.
Letok should be done on the front of the hive so that bees, especially queen bees, do not wander in search of a "door".
Standard sizes
They are determined depending on the shape of the hive, but it is believed that the optimal diameter of the round taphole is 20 mm, and the convenient dimensions of the rectangular one are 65-70 mm in width and 10 mm in height. In this case, the size of the taphole can be changed depending on the strength of the family and the time of year. So, in the spring it can be narrowed to 50 mm, and in the summer it can be expanded to 150 mm. However, bends should not be allowed in either direction, since this is fraught with negative consequences:
- If the hole is very small, it will be difficult for insects to get inside the house and fly out. Taking into account the fact that during the day bees overcome such an obstacle a couple of dozen times, their hairs on their legs will wear out faster and even wings may break off. In addition, with a small hole in the evidence, there will be a lack of fresh air, which will affect the amount of honey. To correct such an oversight, the beekeeper will have to engage in ventilation of the nest, which will take a lot of time and effort.
A narrow opening in the summer will make it difficult to air exchange, which threatens to reduce the strength of the family and its death.
- If the hole is too large, drafts can occur in the house, which pose a mortal danger to the bee colony. In hot weather, ventilation can be quite intense, but in winter the air flow must be reduced, otherwise it will be cold and damp in the hive.
Direction
In the book of the domestic pioneer beekeeper N.M. Vitvitsky, it is indicated that the best direction is the north side, since bees build honeycombs according to the earth's magnetic field.
Meanwhile, when determining the optimal direction, it is worth considering the climate of the area: in cold regions, the entrance should be turned to the southeast, and in warm regions - to the northeast.
How to make a summer entrance with your own hands?
When making a taphole, the beekeeper should pay special attention to the calculation of its optimal parameters, since any mistake will negatively affect the performance and productivity of bees. We will consider different options for its manufacture further.
Round
The diameter should not exceed 2 cm.It can be prepared without additional installations, adhering to the following instructions:
- Drill the hole with a large drill of the correct diameter.
- In manual mode, expand it to the desired size.
- Sand the edges of the hole with sandpaper to make them smooth, otherwise the bees can get hurt by catching on the sharp edges.
- On the edges, according to the latch principle, fix the valve of a larger diameter.
How to make a round tap hole and attach an arrival board is shown in the video below:
Square
The size is determined depending on the strength of the colony and climatic conditions. According to the standard, the length of the sides of the square should not be less than 2.5 cm.
A square taphole is made according to the same principle as a round one. So, initially you need to cut a hole with a drill, and then manually sharpen its corners and grind the sides.
Rectangular
Slots of a similar shape are made simultaneously from the top and bottom of the case. Their optimal sizes depend on the location:
Location | Length, cm | Width, cm |
Upper | 6-7 | 1 |
Lower | 20 | 1 |
To create such a tray, you need to cut out the required shape with a sharp saw on wood, and then carefully seal its edges. The upper tray should be cut 4-5 cm from the ceiling, and the lower tray should be cut 6-7 cm from the bottom.
Triangular
A triangle-shaped slot is often made with the following parameters:
- bottom side - 3-4 cm;
- hips - 1-2 cm.
It must also be cut out with a saw, and then all sides must be sanded so that there are no protrusions on them. The latch must be attached with screws, and its dimensions should slightly exceed the entrance itself.
Full width
As a rule, it is done in multi-hull "Dadanov" structures in the lower part of each building, and over its entire width. Its height is about 2 cm.
To make such a gap, you need to prepare the following materials and tools in advance:
- wood blanks for the "floor" (bars, plywood sheet);
- a gate valve on guides or a perforated fence;
- fasteners (nails or dowels);
- small screws for screwing the mesh;
- saw;
- drill.
Instructions for preparing the taphole for the entire width of the hull are as follows:
- Assemble the frame of the lower part (bottom) of the hive from 6 wooden blocks. They need to be carefully hammered together.
- Put a sheet of plywood cut to size on the frame, and attach 3 more bars on top of it.
- Install the first tier on the resulting structure, and on top of it - the subsequent floors.
- The distance between the plywood and the bottom of the next tier is the notch for the entire length, which must be covered with a latch or mesh.
The plywood structure has a service life of no more than 3 seasons, since over time it gets soaked and destroyed.
Gate valve and landing board
Earlier, special gate valves were repeatedly mentioned, which are also called barriers or limiters. They should be given special attention as they perform important functions:
- allow to narrow or widen the passage, adjusting its limits to the potential of the bee colony;
- participate in maintaining an optimal microclimate in the hive;
- protect insects from "intruders".
Externally, these are small plates, one of which has cutouts and moves freely. Store copies are often made of wood or plastic. As a rule, they are equipped with perforated grilles for air exchange, but not for bees. A similar device can be nailed to the wall of the hive through the central hole using a screw or self-tapping screw.
Of course, the valve can also be made by hand using the following raw materials:
- plastic;
- wood;
- dense metal grate (preferably stainless);
- thin tin plate.
The valve is made according to the principle of two parallel parts - a profile and a cover. The procedure is as follows:
- Fit the selected material to the shape of the tap hole, but in slightly increased dimensions, and then drill numerous holes around its perimeter with a diameter of up to 8 mm for perforation.
- Bend one side 180 ° to form a guide panel.
- Install the part on the airplane board and secure it to the hive wall with screws.
Inexperienced beekeepers neglect the landing board, but this approach is erroneous, since it guarantees a comfortable landing for the bees. If it is absent, then insects overloaded with burden will fall, which will certainly affect the pace and productivity of the bee colony.
To facilitate the planting of insects, some beekeepers also place slanted planks to the ground.
You can find out what the entrance gap and the arrival board should be from the video below:
Adjustment of the entrance at different times of the year
The prepared "door" does not always have to be wide open, because the ventilation mode needs to be adjusted depending on the season.
In winter
The entrances must be especially carefully handled during the wintering period, when the bees are locked in the nest and do not have the ability to influence the air exchange flows. At this time, it is not even the cold that poses a great danger, but the dampness and stuffiness that forms under the canvas. Read here how to properly prepare bees for wintering.
After eating the food, the bees, together with the vapors, emit a large amount of carbon dioxide, which settles with frost on the walls of the hive and has the following characteristics:
- it has the highest thermal insulation properties among all gases (3 times higher than the thermal insulation of felt);
- heavier than air, therefore settles in the lower part of the nest;
- in an increased amount contributes to a slowed down metabolism in the body of bees, therefore, it drives them into a state of half-sleep, in which they use vital resources more economically.
So, some beekeepers make hives with a hermetically sealed lower entrance or they insulate them too much. They rely on carbon dioxide to displace the air from below and fill the hive, creating a feather bed for the bees, which will displace its excess through the open upper entrance. However, this approach does not meet the expectations of beekeepers, since excessive insulation leads to such negative consequences:
- air circulation and water vapor weathering is disrupted, therefore mold and dampness appear on the walls;
- an excess of carbon dioxide is formed, as a result of which the bees become too restless and, in the end, die.
In order to prevent such consequences, it is necessary to organize a good winter summer house, which will prevent the rapid weathering of carbon dioxide, but at the same time will not allow its excess, as well as excessive moisture inside the nest.
To do this, the lower entrance should be opened to the length of the protective grill from mice, and the upper one should be completely open. In addition, at the back wall, you can bend the lap about 1 cm to let air out under the roof. However, in severe frosts, especially during the period from the beginning of wintering to the first weeks of February, the lower entrance can be covered, but later reopened to provide insects with fresh air during the egg-laying period. In doing so, care must be taken to ensure that the temperature inside the hive does not drop below 4 ° C.
Experienced beekeepers note that strong bees in Omshanik or in the yard hibernate much better with open holes. Only in severe frosts should they be covered with a net or liquid canvas. If the bee colony is weak or incomplete, and hibernates in the cold, the entrances can be pushed in to the third part or tightly plugged. In especially severe frosts, which are accompanied by winds, the holes should also be covered with reeds or straw. Such a coating must be removed immediately when the thaw occurs.
You can learn more about how to organize the wintering of bees in the wild here.
In the spring
Until the moment of full development of the bee colony, a free space remains in the nest, so it is better to narrow the entrance a little, leaving about 5 cm.As the family grows and brood is added, it should be gradually increased to provide insects with the right amount of fresh air.
In the spring, you can let bees fly around even when it snows. This usually happens in March. If the entrances are covered, initially it is worth completely opening not the lower, but the upper one. The fact is that the bees rise up the nest and actively move under the canvas, since it is in this part that food is located and it becomes warm, while it is still cold below. After flying around, the bees will begin to warm up and ventilate the nest, so the lower entrance can also be opened wide.
In the case of weak bee colonies in the spring, the lower entrances should be closed, otherwise thieving insects can plunder the entire nest.
Summer
At this time of the year, raspberries, acacia and other honey plants bloom, so the nectar yield exceeds its consumption. In this regard, the bee colony grows, therefore, experienced beekeepers prepare both the second and third floors above the nests, that is, a multi-hive is created.
In this case, all the entrances must be left open. The bees on the landing board will actively wave their porches, pumping fresh air into the nest. However, even this will not be enough in the most active time, a bribe, so it is worth putting wedges between the cases, and for additional ventilation, arrange special slots.
In summer, special attention should also be paid to which direction the entrances look. If it's south, then they need to be moved north. The fact is that the south side is the hottest, so the bees will pump warm air in the hive, while they need more coolness.
It is necessary to turn the beehive with its entrance to the north side not in one, but in several steps, otherwise the bees will fly to their usual place with a heavy load and stumble not on a door, but on a blank wall. In this case, they will begin to crawl along it in search of a gap. If they do not stumble upon her, they can scatter to neighboring families.
If in summer a "beard" of insects forms on the boarding board, it means that the inside of the hive is too hot, so all the entrances must be opened at full strength, and holes must be prepared to enhance ventilation.
In autumn
This season, special attention should also be paid to the direction of the entrances. The west is considered the optimal side, since it is on it that the late autumn sun falls.
The fact is that in the period from September to October, the mood of the bees becomes pre-winter. Every day they fly less and less, but they need to have time to make the last supplies and close the pantries with a safety seal, otherwise honey will breathe in winter, increasing the humidity in the nest.
The bee entrance is a part of the technological apparatus, with the help of which the beekeeper controls the life processes of the family, including their wintering, spring reproduction and bringing a bribe. So, the manufacture of such slots must be approached with all responsibility, as well as their adjustment at different times of the year.