When should I use an entrance reducer?

When should I use an entrance reducer?

Entrance reducers are often used in the winter to reduce drafts through the hive, to keep snow and rain from entering, and to discourage small mammals—such as mice—from entering.

Do you need a bee entrance reducer?

An entrance reducer is needed if there is a danger of outside bees attacking the hive and colony or if there is inclement weather that may endanger the colony’s ability to maintain proper thermoregulation of their hive.

When should I add a super to my beehive?

The ideal time to add a super is during periods of natural population growth (typically, the spring), before or during a honey flow (spring or summer), or during periods of swarming (again, typically the spring). Before adding a super, beekeepers often use a standard rule of thumb, which is known as the 7/10 rule.

When should I change my beehive reducer?

It is best to remove the entrance reducer during warm weather and nectar flow season. It only causes the hive to overheat, plus it affects bees from fetching water for their honeycomb to cool the hive. Bees collect honey throughout nectar flow season, so it may also not be necessary at all.

Do you paint the entrance reducer?

Entrance Reducer – DO NOT paint this piece. It is only used sparingly and may be chewed on by your bees if used for longer periods. Slatted Rack – Paint the outside plus the top and bottom edges. DO NOT paint the inside.

How big should the opening be for a beehive?

The length of an entrance reducer is 14-¾ inches for a 10-frame Langstroth beehive. For 8-frame beehives, the length of the entrance reducer is 12-1/8 inches. If you are making one for a nuc hive, cut the wood to a length of 7 inches.

When should I put the mouse guard on my hive?

We suggest you get your mouse guards on in the fall just before the temperatures drop too low for the bees to break cluster and protect the hive from mice. (Be sure to clear out the dead bees behind the mouse guard frequently during the winter time.)

Can you feed bees with supers on?

To clarify, a beekeeper should never feed sugar syrup to bees when they have a honey super in place. Never. As I said in an earlier post, sugar syrup is a short-term answer for bees that have a food shortage. A weak colony should not be given a honey super in the first place.

How do you know when a beehive is going to swarm?

In order of increasing significance, signs your colony is about to swarm are as follows:

1. An abundance of food stored in the hive, with little space for more.
2. A lack of comb space for brood rearing.
3. A high worker and drone population and/or ‘idle’ worker bees.

Do you need an entrance reducer for a beehive?

An entrance reducer is needed if there is a danger of outside bees attacking the hive and colony or if there is inclement weather that may endanger the colony’s ability to maintain proper thermoregulation of their hive. How is a beehive entrance reducer used?

When is the best time of year to set up a beehive?

Spring may begin later in some regions than others, so you should plan for your specific region. When starting a beehive, the spring is ideal time. As soon as the weather begins to warm up and flowers start to bloom, you can set up your hive.

How do you know if a reducer is blocked by bees?

An entrance at the bottom of the reducer may become blocked by dead bees. Over-crowded bees have chewed the paint and rounded the corners of this entrance reducer. Bees carved a groove along the length of this reducer. Related

How do you close up a bee hive for the winter?

This natural process is sufficient to close up the hive for the winter months. If it’s necessary, if the bees have shown no sign of reducing the size of their entrance by late autumn, you can help them out by using a bunch of small sticks.