How big is your entrance!!!!

[Nannysbees]

Hello
We have just reduced the entrance size on one of our hives to the size that is comfortable for a bee to go through, the other hive is still quite busy so have left that one for now, has anyone reduced their hive entrance and if so by how much?

 

[Swarm]

Full width 8mm entrance all year round, my floors are under hive entrance.

 

[GuyNir]

Full width 8mm entrance all year round, my floors are under hive entrance.

Aye, keeping the same all year.

 

[Boston Bees]

My poly nucs (with the rotating plastic discs and the circular entrance) are half-closed (i.e. now a half-circle entrance).

My full size hives have been reduced to a 2cm wide or so entrance (even in summer they are never wider than 10cm or so).

Did this 6 weeks or so ago to help with wasps. Will stay like that until Spring.

 

[Newbeeneil]

All my full hives and most of my nucs are on UFE so no reduction during winter.

 

[Worldsend]

Still got wasp attacks so entrance tunnels still inplace

 

[E&MBees]

Still got wasp attacks so entrance tunnels still inplace

Likewise here, so my entrances are on the smallest setting.

 

[StephenT]

Fortunately I haven’t had a problem with wasps this year so using the largest size on the entrance reducer.

 

[Nannysbees]

I thought I'd the entrance was small id have no need of a mouse guard!!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I thought I'd the entrance was small id have no need of a mouse guard!!

It's how high the entrance is that's important.

 

[hemo]

UFE's as other have, though 2 colonies are having wasp issues ( first time ever for any of my bees). For now have used some GH glass stood up fairly tight to the hive front, wasps now not to sure of trying to enter.
Wasp traps aen't really doing much maybe about 25-30 dead wasps if that.
My unused/spare UFE's I have now modified with a poly carb slider to enable me to completely close off the UFE entrance and incorporated an oval 100mm long tunnel as an alternate defensive entrance.

 

[Rhyolite]

I removed mine completly on the basis of using a mouse guard. First winter at it so will see how we get on.

 

[fiat500bee]

I removed mine completly on the basis of using a mouse guard. First winter at it so will see how we get on.

I did the same at first but have since compromised with half the guard covered with aluminium tape.

 

[Boston Bees]

I removed mine completly on the basis of using a mouse guard.

Wasps can get through a mouse guard though, no?

 

[Rhyolite]

Wasps can get through a mouse guard though, no?

Yes, but I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[madasafish]

Full hives and nucs with UFEs: no change (no mouseguards )
All others: reduced to three bee width and 1 high.

Still a few wasps around..

 

[Swinton apiaries]

Mouse guards on but still full with of opening on reduction for winter

 

[Horatio]

I've got WBCs and I read, on here somewhere, that mouse guards aren't needed with the WBC sliders. Do I have the WBC sliders so that all the small openings are available or turn them up the other way so just one entrance is available in the middle, does anyone know? I have got mouse guards for them but have found them very fiddly to fit and I really struggle with the drawing pins so if I don't really need them, that would be best.

 

[Malcolm Stamp]

My hives have permanent 75mm X 9mm entrances, the entrance block is screwed in place. Also a permanent fixture is a wedge of wood attached by a thin cord that closes up the entrance if need be. The farm next to us regularly sprays toxic chemicals but gives me a warning and all the wedges go into the entrances , saves messing around with bits of clothe at 10 at night.