# Entrance reducer removal?



## LeonardS (Mar 13, 2012)

I use the J hook on my hive tool. Stick it in the opening and hook it on the back side of the reducer. Sometimes they are really stuck and require a lot of effort to remove.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I use a J-hook tool, too. I try to break the seal on both sides where the box meets the rim of the bottom board before hooking through the entrance hole with the J-hook. I use a hive tool to do that. 

Enj.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

This is where having a couple spare hive tools comes in handy. The box can be pried up, with a tool on each of the front sides, then the propolized ER pried out with the "J" hook tool. A couple nails, or some such, can be used in place of the hive tools - pry on one side, insert a temporary "spacer", then the other side - a nail, screw, Popsicle stick, whatever, and proceed. Pull the ER, then pry up & remove whatever temporary spacer.There are many ways to do this without removing the whole box.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

I dont have a j hook tool so i just reach in with a finger and give them a yank


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

Here's the surgical tools I use...


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## Doreen78 (Feb 25, 2016)

Thank you all so much for your responses! I knew there had to be a way! Looks like I'll be getting myself another hive tool. I have two, one I got with a starter kit, and the other gifted to me, but neither has the j-hook... So I'll be using the two I already have as spacers, and the j-hook one to get the thing out. 

Dynemd, that's serious business! :lpf:


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## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

Doreen78 said:


> Dynemd, that's serious business! :lpf:


Mine often get stuck, probably because I screw my bottom boards to my hive bodies. I've found that messing with my bees entrance really gets their attention (in a bad way).


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## Doreen78 (Feb 25, 2016)

dynemd said:


> I've found that messing with my bees entrance really gets their attention (in a bad way).


That's what I'm afraid of. I'm going to really have to talk myself into this one. I'm still a mess of nerves when I do hive inspections, I have to give myself a serious pep talk each time...


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Smoke 'em, well, beforehand. 

Then consider that the least-disturbing technique is one that just smoothly gets the job done, without a lot of false starts.

When I was a new beek, sometimes I suited up (head-to-toe, and because I live in the cool temps of northern NY that could include sweatpants and sweater under my suit), and lit the smoker, and went out to see the bees and then ....... decided that was as much as I could handle for the day. I got really good at putting the smoker out even with a full load of fuel.

Edited to add a link to my favorite hooked tool: [URL="http://www.betterbee.com/beekeeping-tools/ht4-14in-hive-tool.asp"]
This not a girl-y tool. I find it quite useful for heavy work, and especially for extracting frames with the least effort. It will yank the ER out with ease. I covet a pair of Kelley's KW hive tools, so I can be like my mentor and use one in each hand. But I can't think of enough other stuff to justify an order without ruinous shipping charges.

Enj.


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## Doreen78 (Feb 25, 2016)

Enj, that hive tool looks like serious business. I plan on ordering some more stuff from Kelley's this week, probably enough to get free shipping... I'll check out the kw tool they have.

Thanks for making me feel better about the hive inspection jitters. It's all still very new to me. Got the bees from a cable box in my backyard, so my beekeeping started with tying comb into empty frames. A couple days later found me shaking the whole colony out of a tree in my backyard. Apparently they didn't like their new home, even with brood comb in it... Dumped them back in the box, and thankfully they decided to stay, but it was quite exciting for someone who had never done anything with bees before, lol.


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## Colobee (May 15, 2014)

Doreen78 said:


> That's what I'm afraid of. I'm going to really have to talk myself into this one. I'm still a mess of nerves when I do hive inspections, I have to give myself a serious pep talk each time...


It should get easier. Try to time your inspections and intrusions for warm mid-afternoons, when they are working on some kind of bloom. 'Times like that they can get so busy they just totally ignore you. It can be amusing - they bump into you and it's like "Hey, move over, trying to work here". Work slowly, but deliberately, trying to avoid "popping" the propolis, pry slowly & gently - warm afternoons eliminate much of this. Also try to avoid any bumping around. If either does happen, and it will, pause a minute and let them settle, rather than forging ahead. Hurrying at inspecting is almost sure to increase aggressiveness. Even a bothersome guard bee is just doing it's job. Take your time & try to enjoy it.


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## Doreen78 (Feb 25, 2016)

Thank you Colobee! I kind of lost my nerves at my last inspection, and just stopped and closed everything up. So many bees buzzing around my head! When I checked my suit for stingers after, there were literally none! Just a couple on my gloves, but that's to be expected, right? So I know they're more trying to just scare me off, but man... I was reading a blog the other day about hive inspections, and it started explaining how even though hive inspections are a relaxing hobby for the beekeeper, the bees are stressed out by them. I almost laughed out loud. I definitely would not call it a relaxing hobby just yet. :lpf:


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## PaBill (Apr 4, 2014)

dynemd---- kinda expensive hive tools you have there... Haha


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

Doreen78 said:


> Thank you Colobee! I kind of lost my nerves at my last inspection, and just stopped and closed everything up. So many bees buzzing around my head! When I checked my suit for stingers after, there were literally none! Just a couple on my gloves, but that's to be expected, right? So I know they're more trying to just scare me off, but man... I was reading a blog the other day about hive inspections, and it started explaining how even though hive inspections are a relaxing hobby for the beekeeper, the bees are stressed out by them. I almost laughed out loud. I definitely would not call it a relaxing hobby just yet. :lpf:


Personally, I would just stick a flathead screwdriver in the entrance and pry it out. May break, but you may never need it again. Almost anything can be used as a reducer. 

My first removal from under a trailer cured me of my nerves. After awhile you quit even seeing the cloud of confused bees. Of course you can still hear them buzzing as you try to goto sleep that night. Close your eyes and still see them buzzing. First few times I heard drones coming in I thought I was under attack.


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## Doreen78 (Feb 25, 2016)

My Fitbit gave me the 10,000 step buzz on my wrist once right after I was done with a hive check. Talk about adrenaline surge...


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## Doreen78 (Feb 25, 2016)

J-hook worked like a charm! Thanks everyone!


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