New beekeeper here. When should the entrance reducer be turned to have the larger opening exposed, and when should it be removed entirely? Thanks in advance for your answers.
The entrance should allow a free flow of traffic, without a backlog waiting to get in or out. Watch the traffic and if it looks crowded, give them more entrance.
My opininion is, a little backed up is better than wax moths getting in or anything else that can ruin the day. I have never taken it out completely. I do have a super strong hive that has 2 deeps and 2 mediums full. Reducer is on big opening and there is a top entrance that is 1 1\2" long by 3\8".
Like Rookie I keep my entrance reducers on year around. I did just pry open my largest hive entrances open on the ends to give them a little more entrance area. None of them are wide open.
I also have 56 commercial hives right on top of my apiary that have in the past robbed out several of my hives when the flow stops.
Jim
I have been using a Universal Entrance Reducer and Mouse Guard for several years. It stays on year round and I can block of parts if I need to. -Mike
The only hive I have ever had robbed out had a reducer on it. It didn't stop the robbers. I haven't had a reducer on in over 10 years.
I usually just stuff grass in the entrance, they take it out when they are ready.
My entrance reducers are set to the largest opening and will stay that way. It's the way I was shown by an experienced beek.
I also had an experienced beek tell me to destroy queen cells to prevent swarming. I found later it will only leave the hive queenless when they swarm. It will not prevent them from going. Experience isn't always perfection. I've got 40 years experience and still make mistakes and learn where I am wrong nearly every day.
Some people have 40 years of experience, while others have 1 year's experience 40 times. It's attitude that makes the difference, I guess. I have an experienced beekeeper friend that kills every drone he sees, since they serve no purpose in the hive, he says.
"Some people have 40 years of experience, while others have 1 year's experience 40 times"
I'm stealing that line!
Quote from: GSF on May 26, 2015, 03:25:53 PM
"Some people have 40 years of experience, while others have 1 year's experience 40 times"
I'm stealing that line!
Fair enough. I did :cool:
I "usually" keep my reducers on, opened to the larger opening. Along with the 1" by 3/8 upper entrance it is enough, both for ventilation and access by the bees. I do not use them for robbing purposes, I have screens for that.
The bees have the ability to ventilate and cool the hive without the extra help, as long as they can get to water.
i use them in the winter to help with keeping mice out & pull them when the flow starts. i also have some one bee wide reducers that i use when feeding a weaker hive.