entrance size for overwintering poly nuc

[DaveG23]

I have 2 bs honey bees poly nucs. I was wondering what other people do to reduce the entrance over winter.

They come with a fairly standard circular entrance disc that can be moved in to open, QE, ventilation etc.

If its left in the open position then the size of the entrance hole in to the nuc looks large enough for mice etc to enter (it seems like its the same size as the Maismore poly nuc entrances), if I spin the disc to use QE will the bees have difficultly removing dead bees etc?

What do others do with the entrances of these type of poly nucs over winter?

 

[Angry_Mob]

Spin the disc to the open position but have it so that it covers more of the poly than the hole which leaves a pointed oval shaped entrance; the same that I do to reduce entrance down for wasps.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Half open

 

[Ian123]

if the box is rammed with bees mice are less!! inclined to stick thier nose in....notice i use the word less

 

[Torq]

I have 2 bs honey bees poly nucs. I was wondering what other people do to reduce the entrance over winter.

They come with a fairly standard circular entrance disc that can be moved in to open, QE, ventilation etc.

If its left in the open position then the size of the entrance hole in to the nuc looks large enough for mice etc to enter (it seems like its the same size as the Maismore poly nuc entrances), if I spin the disc to use QE will the bees have difficultly removing dead bees etc?

What do others do with the entrances of these type of poly nucs over winter?

You can drill a smaller hole in a blank section of the disc.

 

[DaveG23]

if the box is rammed with bees mice are less!! inclined to stick thier nose in....notice i use the word less

Just discovered that something has chewed in to the poly and the entrance disc to make a big enough hole to get in to.

A few knocks on the side didnt create any movement and I put in a piece of wire and jiggled it around to see if I could get a reaction, and apart from two annoyed bees, nothing.

Guess I will have to open them up to check.

 

[domino]

That slotted part of the disc makes a handy mouse guard.

 

[Beefriendly]

That slotted part of the disc makes a handy mouse guard.

As long as Maismore have now changed their entrance design. The original rotating disc entrance had what looked to be a queen excluder but was in fact a a total bee excluder.

 

[DaveG23]

As long as Maismore have now changed their entrance design. The original rotating disc entrance had what looked to be a queen excluder but was in fact a a total bee excluder.

Yeh, thats what I had heard, hence not using it.

Once I have evicted the furry resident I will spin the disc round to QE and check to see if the ladies can still get in and out.

Then I will be having a word with the cats about their work rate.

 

[domino]

As long as Maismore have now changed their entrance design. The original rotating disc entrance had what looked to be a queen excluder but was in fact a a total bee excluder.

I'm running two alongside my paynes and they seem ok - although I'm now paranoid.

 

[DaveG23]

I'm running two alongside my paynes and they seem ok - although I'm now paranoid.

Have the bees been able to get in and out?

 

[domino]

Have the bees been able to get in and out?

On one of them I've seen them go in and out. I'm going to check the rest now, if they couldn't I would change the disc, you can buy them cheap of ebay.

Edit - you could always pin a normal mouse guard over the front.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As long as Maismore have now changed their entrance design. The original rotating disc entrance had what looked to be a queen excluder but was in fact a a total bee excluder.

They have - the entrance disks on the initial batch were just not engineered properly

 

[For want of a better word]

Half open

I keep mine half closed... and stick a coloured pin in to the disc so it does not move around!

Chons da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

which colour is best?

 

[Millet]

which colour is best?

Whatever is under a sheep's Codpiece..

 

[For want of a better word]

which colour is best?

I use green as I can immediately see that the nuc / colony has a queen in it*


(* or more to the point was a laying queen in there when I last checked for brood!)

I use a pin colour code system in queen rearing on the nucs and mating nucs)


Simple solution to a simple question

Mytten da

 

[Madge]

That slotted part of the disc makes a handy mouse guard.

It’s a queen excluder. Don’t use it as a mouse guard. The bees won’t be able to perform their housekeeping tasks properly.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It’s a queen excluder. Don’t use it as a mouse guard. The bees won’t be able to perform their housekeeping tasks properly.

 

[masterBK]

Rodents have continually growing incisors and naturaly gnaw things which normally wears them down as fast as they grow although I doubt if chewing polyhives will keep their teeth in good order. I get the problem in wooden hives.