# How long should I use an entrance reducer?



## Aroc (May 18, 2016)

I use a Lang but I never took off the reducer for my first year install. I did give them another enterance and widened the reducer a bit but never took it off. They did just fine.


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## BeeGora (Oct 22, 2013)

You should leave it in until after a new batch of bees have hatched out. When you install a package you'll only have a small amount of bees to guard the entrance, forage, etc.


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## beemandan (Dec 5, 2005)

I use langstroths...but have never had the need to use an entrance reducer in this part of the country.


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## Yunzow (Mar 16, 2017)

Thanks for the advice! Until around day 21 then?



BeeGora said:


> You should leave it in until after a new batch of bees have hatched out. When you install a package you'll only have a small amount of bees to guard the entrance, forage, etc.


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## sarahsbees (Apr 20, 2016)

I've asked this question before and from the answers decided on my one hive to leave the entrance reducer (reduced to 1 inch) indefinitely. It's pretty busy but doesn't seem to slow them down at all and it's nice knowing there's only a small and well-guarded entrance for pests to enter. I've had it that way about a year now and so far no problems, though I think (being new) I've yet to see my hive operate at 100% capacity.

My other hive a couple months in I opened to the three inch setting. Then I noticed the bees were starting to narrow it a bit with propolis so out of curiosity decided to leave it that way and see what size opening the bees decide to make. 'Course if I change my mind about that, it will be a pain to remove...

Honestly having the opening completely uncovered scares me a bit. Seems like a lot of space to guard and I don't think the bees require that much room to come and go. 

I also figure that in the wild, bee hives don't typically have large openings, so that seems more like a human decision than a bee decision.

But I'm only running on one year of experience here, so keep that in mind.


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## sarahsbees (Apr 20, 2016)

So now your answers range from "never" to "always".... Welcome to beekeeping!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I leave mine reduced 365 days a year now...


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

Michael Bush said:


> I leave mine reduced 365 days a year now...


Same, except every four years i leave it reduced one more day....


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## AR1 (Feb 5, 2017)

On the freak hot days, or every day really, place an extra sheet of plywood across the top for shade and insulation. Helps in heat and cold! I leave one sticking out about 6 inches all around. Keeps the rain off the front entrance, keeps the sun off in the midday hours, and slows heat loss in winter.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Same, except every four years i leave it reduced one more day....

I open mine up on February 29th every four years...  No... not really...


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## Yunzow (Mar 16, 2017)

Thanks for this idea. The lid I have right now just barely fits over the bars, so they will get some wet when it rains. None gets inside, but these cedar bars expand a bit. Maybe I should provide some more cover around the edges...



AR1 said:


> On the freak hot days, or every day really, place an extra sheet of plywood across the top for shade and insulation. Helps in heat and cold! I leave one sticking out about 6 inches all around. Keeps the rain off the front entrance, keeps the sun off in the midday hours, and slows heat loss in winter.


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