[crohlin]

How do you keep your bees on the correct side of the divider when you lift the cover? Most pictures I have seen people use a inner cover and a roof cover. Most of the inner covers have been 10 frame width. How do you keep bees on the correct side of follower board if you only have a 5 frame nuc you are placing in the hive. Am I just overthinking things?

 

[rhaldridge]

I haven't found that to be a problem. The follower board is there to define the area available to the colony, and should seal it off no matter how few frames you use. If you're asking about bees accidentally getting into the other side (empty part) when you have the hive open... I just leave one of the covering boards partly ajar so any stray bees can get out. They don't seem to try to get in; they only want to be in the colony, not the empty space on the other side of the follower.

 

[Wolfer]

I had the same problem. Seems there would always be a couple dead bees behind the follower board. I drilled a 1" hole down near the bottom so I could lay a rag up against it if it was a problem.
It hasn't been a problem. I set two boardman feeders behind it for early spring buildup feeding.
Once I stopped feeding I moved the follower board all the way back and keep a plastic foundation frame at the end with a couple undrawn frames between it and the rest of the hive.
Woody Roberts

 

[Michael Bush]

>How do you keep your bees on the correct side of the divider when you lift the cover?

I have several long langs. None have a follower...

 

[Leather Jim]

I've found that the bees don't seem to consider the other side of the follower away from the brood nest part of their hive. A 7/8" hole in the follower will allow any strays a way back into the hive, then a #9 wine cork can be used to close the hole if you want.

Jim