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BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: esmith on May 17, 2020, 02:56:39 am

Title: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: esmith on May 17, 2020, 02:56:39 am
Good afternoon,

I suspect my bees have a european wasp problem. I noticed a fair number of dead or dying bees near the entrance today, and a wasp in amongst the carnage.

The wasps aren't coming from my property, so I have no idea how to eradicate them, but I can install an entrance reducer.

I bought one to use, but it requires pieces to be screwed into the box. Is it possible to do this on a box that already has bees in it? It seems like it would be very upsetting to the colony to be drilling holes into their box, but I don't know how else to attach the reducer. I briefly tried duct taping it on, but it fell off less than a week later. Any advice?

Thank you in advance once again.
Title: Re: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: KellyBeeFriendly on May 17, 2020, 05:57:45 am
I find that some flyscreen/hardware cloth pushed 3/4 across in the entrance does the same trick without the fuss. Save drilling till you change out the hive body and don?t have upset bees.

I?ve also had some significant European wasp issues. I?ve invested in a few European wasp/ jumbo fly traps to see what works best. I?ve also watched a few utube videos - in fall go for sugary items as bait like Soda or apple juice. And in spring bait with combo of sweet and meat to trap hatching queens.

It?s late fall/autumn here and The jumbo fly trap near the bee yard with combo of honey vinegar apple juice and a pinch of yeast (the vinegar/yeast deters the bees) is full. I have a can of cat food in the pantry and intend to try the cat food smeared on a board inverted and suspended over a dish of water - as that model seems to trap a lot of wasps. I figure if you get the queens in spring there?s a lot less wasps around come summer and fall!

Good luck
Title: Re: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: JurassicApiary on May 17, 2020, 01:34:48 pm
One thought, depending on what you have on hand.  Since the entrance reducer should be a close fit to start with, you could use a wood shim or two to snug it into place.  Likely only the tips of the shim would fit, making it tight, then just bend them to snap or score them and remove the excess.
Title: Re: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: guitarstitch on May 18, 2020, 09:11:47 am
If you're just running a wood screw or two, it's not terribly bothersome to the bees.

Heck, I drilled 1/4" holes (6.35 mm to you metric types) in the backs of my populated brood boxes with no ill effects using an 18v drill and a standard twist drill bit. 

That said, what kind of hive are you running that requires screwing in the entrance reducer?  Top Bar or Langstroth Long?
Title: Re: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: esmith on May 19, 2020, 04:14:11 am
Thank you all.

@KellyBeeFriendly - can you send me a link to the wasp trap you're using? I'm all for reducing their population, as long as it doesn't hurt the beneficials!

@guitarstitch - I'm using a regular Langstroth hive. The reducer I have is similar to this: https://bee2bee.com.au/product/bee-hive-entrance-reducer-strip/ . It has those two plates, which are screwed to the box, then you're supposed to slide the long piece into place.
Title: Re: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: guitarstitch on May 19, 2020, 08:03:58 am
Thank you all.

@KellyBeeFriendly - can you send me a link to the wasp trap you're using? I'm all for reducing their population, as long as it doesn't hurt the beneficials!

@guitarstitch - I'm using a regular Langstroth hive. The reducer I have is similar to this: https://bee2bee.com.au/product/bee-hive-entrance-reducer-strip/ . It has those two plates, which are screwed to the box, then you're supposed to slide the long piece into place.

Ah, I see.  Yeah, running a couple of wood screws into an active box shouldn't cause and real distress.  :)
Title: Re: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: CoolBees on May 19, 2020, 01:52:34 pm
+1 ... drilling a couple holes doesn't bother the bees much. I've drilled several - for OAV applicators, pollen traps, ect. The bees don't mind.

I cut any old scrap piece of wood to length - to reduce entrances. My buddy uses old bricks of various lengths for the same purpose.
Title: Re: Installing an entrance reducer
Post by: KellyBeeFriendly on May 20, 2020, 09:42:05 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smn-dbpCKJA

And

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng-ylBN43PA