[maynard27]

Does anyone know what my bees are doing?
They seem to be chewing away the bottom of the brood box and part of the entrance reducer.
Should I open up the entrance reducer?
This hive is coming into its 2nd year. Currently is comprised of 2 deeps.
I'm confused.

 

[clyderoad]

Maybe they are chewing another opening but are you sure there is nothing trapped inside the hive, like mice?

 

[ken rice]

Is there some reason you have them reduced down so far?

 

[maynard27]

Definitely no mice. I just inspected today. They have been slowly chewing this open over time.
I have them reduced because I wasn't sure if I should open it up more or not. I felt like the smaller the entrance, the less likely for hive beetles.
Maybe I should switch to the next to smallest opening?

 

[ken rice]

Opening it up would be a good idea.

 

[clyderoad]

agree, open it up.
(but they seem to be doing a good job of it all by themselves )

 

[tommysnare]

hive beetles are smaller than bees soo a small entrance makes no difference. open it up and let the traffic jam open up. i opened a reduced entrance this morning and it looked like the 210 on a friday night immediately !

 

[Mountainboomer]

I currently have 4 hives and they have all chewed their top entrance {inner cover slot} they have not touched the bottom entrance even when we had the reducer on. Talked w/ some old timers in my area and they all said that this happens.

 

[maynard27]

Well sounds like I'm opening it up in the morning! Thanks!

 

[Comper100]

My langstroth has a half size entrance and they have been chewing it for some weeks now, it seams as the population grows, the bee committee seam to have a need for fire exits or something I may well modify my entrance next season. Its a 2 brood box deep set-up.