Return Entrance Reducer After Swarm???

[BEES7070]

My hive has swarmed and prior to, the entrance reducer was removed due to the good strength of the colony. Now, after the swarm, it is assumed that half the colony or more is gone. Since this reduction of the colony, is it a good idea to return the entrance reducer to protect against robbing? I am getting mixed reviews on this topic from area beeks. Thanks

[cao]

I would say yes, but I may be biased because I leave mine on all year.

[GSF]

Bees7070 - The only thing that two out of three beekeepers agree on is that the third one is wrong.

Plug your general location in your profile. Beekeeping questions are a lot of time location specific.

Your question is a hard one to get exactly right not being able to look inside your hive. Sometimes they'll throw after swarms. I've saw some of my hives swarm and you wouldn't have known it looking at the population. Put it on anyway and see if there's bees waiting to enter the hive while others come and go. (congestion)

[BEES7070]

Thanks GSF, much appreciated. I am in north central Wisconsin, and will change that. Thanks again, this new "hobby" of mine can be the most amazing and rewarding all the while more stressful than raising my three kids!

[GLOCK]

i'm with cao i leave my entrance no bigger than the 3in opening on my DBL. deeps and 2 bee with on my nucs and i have not had robbing in 4 years and i have all my nucs and hives together. I'm in the north but it does get in the 90s this time of year plus i run black hives  without any problems.

[gww]

I have one that I can't open more then half way but can close it.  One is fully open and still beards up fairly hard.  One that I have about half open with a board in front and it has a miller slatted rack on it.  When I got my bought hive that was already about 2 mediums full of bees, the guy that delivered it had about 3 bee space opening.  I can see my hives pretty good daily.  I am new and so this is just my unimformed opinion.  If I couldn't see my hives a couple times a day, my openings would all be pretty small.  I had a bad experiance one time with robbing and feeding.

Good luck
gww

[Blacksheep]

I keep my reducers on all the time!It helps the bees guard the entrance and also cuts down on robbing!Bee can go as they please with my reducers as they are 3/8 inch tall and 3 inches wide!