Hi Everyone,
I have a TBH and a Golden hive and I am toying with the ideal of getting an
extra-deep National brood box and an extra-shallow super, supplied by Heather
Bell Bees in Cornwall, where I purchased my TBH. I plan to add two entrance
holes to the side of the brood box (not unlike my TBH and GH). I like the idea
of having standard size parts, such as the frames, easily available to replace
and this company offers the very shallow super for taking small amounts of
honey.
I have asked Heather Bell if they supply solid floors, without mesh - they
don't. So, I asked this question and wondered what the group thought about the
reply:
Q: I'm planning to add entrance holes into the side of the brood box (bit like
your TBH which I already have) so for the floor maybe the thick crown board
without a central hole would work instead. Are you able to supply without a
hole?
A: Although colonies will use an additional upper entrance as you describe, it
must be an additional entrance. A bottom entrance is necessary so bees can
remove dead bees easily and a solid floor is just a bad idea; reducing
ventilation, encouraging damp, increasing Varroa build up. That's why we don't
use or supply them.
From my experience (only 2 years), my TBH with holes and my GH with holes have
never had a build up of dead bees. In the case of the TBH there is a horrible
build up of debris beneath the mesh floor, which the bees can't clean up and so
they rely on me to do it causing more disturbance than I prefer (I plan to get
rid of this just as soon as I am able).
Has anyone done this conversion before and is a bad idea? Eric, I think you
might have?
Kerry
