[juzzerbee]

My bees are in two deeps(overwintered). They seem to mostly be in the top box. They are using the notched inner cover top entrance placed on the top feeder and not the 4 inch reduced bottom entrance. If I close up the top entrance will that direct them to come and go from the bottom entrance only and hopefully "encourage" them to stay in the bottom deep more and get to work there instead?
Reversing bodies is another way, but I didn't do that because many have said the "messes" up the way the bees want it. Thanks, juzzer

 

[drlonzo]

juzzer - If you ask any beekeeper a question you will get diff answers most of the time from each one. That's because there is more than one way to do most things with the bees. Some beeks like to do things their way and promote that way. So what I will tell you is this. Reversing the hive bodies early in the season will not do any harm. The bees had it set up last year the way they wanted it prior to winter. That was so they could find things through winter. This is a new year, the bees have already removed their resources from those bottom hive bodies so at this point there's nothing really there. Doing a reversal will only allow them to find the area again above them and start putting more resources into that area. Keep in mind you may have to do checkerboarding with your hives to get them to expand the brood nest, but hey that's beekeeping. lol.. Take my advice with a grain of sand as this is my method and it works fine for me

 

[Michael Bush]

Where the entrance is probably won't make any difference.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Reverse the hive bodies, close the upper entrance, and the bees will walk down the front of the hive to the bottom entrance.