Bees Made Their Own Entrance

[The15thMember]

One of my hives has a slatted rack on that has a little rotten spot on the side, very close to the front of the hive, which over the course of this season, developed into a small hole.  I noticed a week or two ago that the bees had started chewing away at the wood, and one or two were coming out of the hive there, and today when I looked at it, it was much bigger.  It's now maybe an inch and a half by an inch, and the bees are sitting in there chewing on the wood.  Is there anything wrong with just letting them use this spot as their entrance?  It's about the same size as the smallest opening on an entrance reducer.  I could just turn their reducer sideways, blocking the whole landing board and let this be the entrance, and the cinder block below would serve as a landing pad essentially.  Or, will they continue to chew away at the wood until it's structurally unsound, and should I close it up with tape or something?  If I do, will they just open it again? 

[iddee]

Depends on the condition of the wood. They will remove all of the rotten wood, but none of the solid wood. The entrance will be OK. Neither a positive nor negative.

[Bakersdozen]

The few times I think it might be concerning are:
1. If the hole faces north and might create chilling conditions in winter.
2. The hole is where the beekeeper needs to stand to inspect the hive.
3. You are wanting to move the hive and need to close up the entrance.
4. When doing mite treatments like Oxalic Acid vaporization.
In all over these circumstances a piece of tape would work for a quick fix.
If, as iddee says, the bees chew through all the rotten parts and there is too much rot you may need to eventually replace the slatted rack.

[The15thMember]

Depends on the condition of the wood. They will remove all of the rotten wood, but none of the solid wood.

Okay, I'll need to investigate a little deeper and see how big the soft spot actually is.  I'm assuming they'll keep chewing on it then, regardless of whether I close it up or not. 

1. If the hole faces north and might create chilling conditions in winter.

My winters aren't severe enough to make this a factor.  Although it doesn't face north anyway.

2. The hole is where the beekeeper needs to stand to inspect the hive.

I do usually stand at the side of a hive to inspect, but the hole is so close to the front that I don't think it'll be a problem, especially considering that this hive isn't a handful to work or anything.  Nor does the hole point into the walkway where the traffic could be a pain.

3. You are wanting to move the hive and need to close up the entrance.
4. When doing mite treatments like Oxalic Acid vaporization.
In all over these circumstances a piece of tape would work for a quick fix.

My thoughts exactly.