Entrance Reducers in Florida?

Beeboy01 · November 16, 2016, 11:24:30 AM

Just a quick question, are entrance reducers needed in Florida? We only have 3-4 weeks of cold weather with maybe one week when temperatures drop below freezing at night. I've used them on my hives before but didn't notice any big difference with or without them. Trying to streamline my beekeeping and cut out any extra equipment or steps.
Thanks

BeeMaster2 · November 16, 2016, 12:22:21 PM

Beeboy,
I put them on my first year because all of the books say to.
In reality, our bees never stay clustered for more than a couple of days. The minute they break up, any mouse in the hive is dead. I have never found a mouse, alive or dead in any of my hives. I do not know of any experienced beeks that use them.
Jim

Beeboy01 · November 16, 2016, 05:08:45 PM

Thanks Jim, I was thinking along the same lines, I'll skip using them this year.

BeeMaster2 · November 16, 2016, 11:50:19 PM

I suspect your bees are hardly ever is full cluster to the point where a mouse could enter your hives.
Jim

texanbelchers · November 17, 2016, 01:03:03 AM

Saw, I'm confused. In the thread about reducers in OK, you said you have them on all your hives. Here you are referencing mice. Were you thinking mouse guards?

It seems that most beeks use reducers at some point. I've seen many pallet designs that it is permanent on with a 4" or so opening.

I generally use 3/8" x 4" on the bottom and top entrances as required. Small colonies get the 3/8" x 1" until it is congested.

rwlaw · November 17, 2016, 08:31:30 AM

This is from someone who worries more about how much snow is in the forecast than whether my bees are clustered or not, but what about robbing? Seems like that would be an ever present danger.

Beeboy01 · November 17, 2016, 10:43:54 AM

Robbing is whole different problem, I'm just wondering about using entrance reducers for the colder months. If robbing starts I close the hives down to one inch and stack a bunch of pin needles across it.

BeeMaster2 · November 17, 2016, 06:26:39 PM

Quote from: texanbelchers on November 17, 2016, 01:03:03 AM
Saw, I'm confused. In the thread about reducers in OK, you said you have them on all your hives. Here you are referencing mice. Were you thinking mouse guards?

It seems that most beeks use reducers at some point. I've seen many pallet designs that it is permanent on with a 4" or so opening.

I generally use 3/8" x 4" on the bottom and top entrances as required. Small colonies get the 3/8" x 1" until it is congested.

You are right. I got the distinct impression that he was talking about closing the hive for mice during winter.
Jim

Barhopper · November 17, 2016, 06:44:41 PM

I close mine down to about 4" this time of year mainly to help control robbing. We are dry with not much going on here.

Acebird · November 18, 2016, 08:46:57 AM

I never use a entrance reducer but my mouse guard is made from siding wrap material with 3/8 dia. punched holes all the way across the full entrance. This gets removed in the spring when the bearding becomes excessive. I have never witnessed robbing at the hives. Although one time I tried to harvest like a commercial guy did by laying the boxes of honey on their side. The bees were suppose to go back to their own hives. They did not. Never again.
Here is a pic of the mouse guard.
http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv333/acebird1/Bees%202015/0402151303_zps8ueylplt.jpg

Beeboy01 · November 18, 2016, 10:24:33 AM

I've used mouse guards before, made them out of 1/4 inch screen cut to fit into the entrance of the hive but have stopped using them since I've moved to Florida. The bees stay active most of the year and are a bit more aggressive during the winter so mouse guards are not needed.