Entrance Reducer

[ChiefBee]

I'm installing two new hives today and have closed my entrance off.  I'm assuming I should also close off the entrance on my innercover?  I'm using a top hive feeder by the way.

[tbonekel]

I think closing the entrance on the top is fine. Start with your smallest entrance on the bottom. If it looks like they are clogging it up, open the entrance to the next size. If you are using the typical reducer, you have a small entrance, then a larger entrance, then just take it out.

[Slowmodem]

I agree.  I always stop up the notch in the inner cover because I'm afraid of robbing and hive beetles getting in that way.  I'd rather be safe than sorry. 

[iddee]

I use eiyher an inner cover or a hivetop feeder, but never both.
Don't close them in completely, give them a place to go in and out.

[Slowmodem]

I use eiyher an inner cover or a hivetop feeder, but never both.
Don't close them in completely, give them a place to go in and out.

In my experimentations, I tried using a hivetop feeder directly on top of the top brood box.  They built all kind of wonky comb under the feeder and laid eggs and the queen was up there, and it was a real mess.



So I tried putting the inner cover between the brood box and the feeder.  That helped some.  I even put an empty super on top of the inner cover below the feeder, and that helped a lot (although, I can see if I left i there a long time they could really build a lot of wonky comb in that empty box).  that's why I stopped up the notch in the inner cover.

[iddee]

Now try the empty super, with frames , on top the brood box, then the feeder without the inner cover, and I think you will be happy.

[LazyBkpr]

Now try the empty super, with frames , on top the brood box, then the feeder without the inner cover, and I think you will be happy.

   Yep, then they will have PURPOSE and begin drawing those super frames instead of oddly placed comb.