Bees chewing through boxes

[AlamoBee]

I went to visit my hives today and noticed one hive where the bees had made a hole in the back of the bottom board and had expanded the holes provided by my reducer. Is this done just to relieve congestion at the main entrance?  I had drilled an upper entrance hole in the top brood box but still had a cork in it since it is still February. Is it too early to pull the cork and reducer?  Am I doing something else wrong?

[Ben Framed]

I have not heard of honey bees boring holes in a box. However I have heard of Borebees doing so. Maybe others here will give you a better answer.
Phillip Hall

[beesonhay465]

mice?

[jalentour]

I suspect you are correct that they are relieving congestion. 
I have had bees chew opening in old boxes at the corners where my hive tool dented the wood.  My experience is they make small openings larger, not bore new holes.  In many of my older hives there is evidence of chewing on the bottom board and reducers.  I have seen them chew paint off bottom boards as well.
I recommend you speak to local beekeepers in your area as what size openings they have on their hives.

[Ben Framed]

mice?

"mice"

Could be? Seems reasonable, especially if the wood in the boxes are solid?

AlamoBee, Are your boxes as described by jvalentour?

Jvalentour, Have you noticed bees chewing on solid boxes as well the older boxes that you described in your reply #3?
This is something I have not witnessed. But again, my boxes are no older than 2 years old.

[CapnChkn]

Yep!  They tend to get "antsy" when they can't get in and out.  I once asked on this forum what the heck "this sound" was.  I don't have the recording anymore, but it sounded like bacon frying.  Someone suggested they may be chewing, which it turned out to be.

I set a swarm trap, and couldn't get back to it for about a month.  When I got to it, the bees had absconded, leaving combs that had been eaten by something, no real trash or frass inside, and they had drilled a single "bee sized" hole just over the entrance.  Even today, when I get bees in it, they go through that little hole.

[AlamoBee]

The new hole is at the corner where it looks like they found a weak spot where the wood joins. At the main entrance they have chewed into the bottom board around the entrance reducer to widen the hole. This hive is full of bees. I have 2 brood boxes on and they are packed. Would you ever add a third brood box or would you just do a split to give them more room?

[BeeMaster2]

Bees can and do chew on wood. I?ll bet if you put your ear to that box you can here them.
You can do either. If it is a rather new queen I would add space. If it is a 2 or 3 year old queen, you might want to split the hive and put the queen in the new box.
Jim Altmiller