[Clarkwestfied]

I just installed my nuc a week ago and see lots of traffic with the bees trying to enter the hive.

It’s on the smallest opening with the entrance reducer.

When do I start flipping the reducer to the larger opening or removing it all together?

 

[ericweller]

I open up my entrances when the nightime temperature is over 60 degrees. I install my robbing screens when the reducers come off.

 

[exmar]

Here's a discussion going on entrance reducers right now. Like everything bee related, lots of opinions.

https://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?354165-Entrance-Reducers&p=1721975#post1721975

"Installed my nuc...." Does that mean you brought it home and set in it's intended location or you transferred the frames and bees from the nuc to a Deep? The bees you see "trying to enter the hive" if they're having difficulty, guard bees may be repelling robbers. Lots of nucs out there, if the "smallest opening" is an inch or two, wouldn't worry about it for awhile. Doubt you have a major flow going and a new nuc hasn't had time to build up a big population. One of the big concerns with a new nuc or package is robbing, smaller entrance is better IMHO.

Lots of very experienced folks only have small openings all summer compared to other very experienced folks. Personally I ran my hives with only a 3" opening at the bottom entrance year round, only change was adding mouse guards for the fall and winter.

To perhaps misquote Michael Bush, "If you don't know what to do, don't do anything." I'd reflect on that.

Good luck,

 

[Clarkwestfied]

I installed the nuc I a deep box with 4 new frames and internal feeder.

Just one hive in the yard and for that matter the neighborhood.

Residential hive in my backyard.

 

[exmar]

Keep in mind that bees forage up to 2 miles, some sources say 5. An internal feeder is kind of a robber magnet, particularly if you're in a dearth or the flow hasn't got going yet. I'd leave the entrance small till they build up population and get established.