Enttance restriction and feeding

[plambert]

I'm in the western panhandle of Florida and got my first nuc about a month ago and it seems to be doing well. I am feeding 1:1 sugar water and have restricted the entrance to about 1 1/2 inches. When should I remove the restriction all together and stop feeding? Thx in advance for advice.

[psfred]

The rule of thumb is to feed until you have a full brood nest for your area. As far south as you are, you may be fine with a single deep, up here in the frozen north (comparatively) it's normal to feed until two deeps are drawn about 80% or so and the bees are foraging well.

You can remove the entrance reducer as soon as the bees fill that single box up. If they pile up at the entrance and it looks as though they are having trouble getting in and out, you can take it out sooner, but watch for robbing events.

Peter

[plambert]

Thx for the info Peter.

[AmericasBeekeeper]

You can stop feeding. They are already bringing in nectar in Tampa.
If you have a screened bottom board you can leave the reducer on forever, unless you do not have enough small hive beetles in the hive yet. A 3 square inch opening is the scientific optimum. That is 5 inches of 3/8 opening.

[ccar2000]

I keep my entrance at an inch and a half until there is traffic jamming up. I also have an inch and a half entrance on the first super just above the broodnest and excluder.

[ccar2000]

A 3 square inch opening is the scientific optimum. That is 5 inches of 3/8 opening.

5 inches, that's interesting. I am going to give that a try!

[Rader Sidetrack]

A 3 square inch opening is the scientific optimum. That is 5 inches of 3/8 opening.

Perhaps you meant to say 5 inches of 5/8 opening? That works out to be 3.125"

FYI:
5 * (5 / 8) = 3.125
5 * (3 / 8) = 1.875