Entrance reducer

Flow Hive
1

Entrance reducer. Will a standard reducer fit the Flow Hive? I live in Washington.

2

I made some from small strips of wood - Not expensive

I bought 1 and made the rest

3

Just make sure you get a reducer for an 8-Frame Langstroth if you have a full Flow hive. This one is perfect if you choose the 8-Frame option, and it is made by the same people who make the hive boxes:
http://www.beethinking.com/collections/tools-and-equipment/products/langstroth-entrance-reducer?variant=501821581

Dawn

4

I made my reducers for my 10’s But once made they can be easily scaled down to fit the 8’s.

If you are cash strapped - bit of bee keeping will do that to you - Buy a 10 and make the rest if you need more than 1.

I do have the Mouse reducers on for winter they are not so easy to scale down so I bought both types.
or there are foam entrance blockers for transporting and/or keeping them in for short periods of time but wooden one’s seem the best.

5

Thanks Valli, you answered the question of size as well.

1 Like
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If you make your own reducers you can make a bee height full length slot entrance so you don’t need a mouse guard in winter

2 Likes
7

I have a flow hive and an 8 frame entrance reducer. The entrance reducer does NOT fit the flowhive’ bottom board.

2 Likes
8

Might it be a simple procedure to alter it or make your own? Beekeepers are used to Heath Robinson-ing things and inventing others. You get to enjoy it :smiley:

9

I did put my entrance reducer next to my flow entrance - yes it is about 5-7mm too big - I actually an using a roof tile across 1/2 the entrance and it is fine.

I have some laths for converting Nationals to Langstroth they are 25mm x 4mm Probably just the ticket - cut to the 8 frame width
B&Q call it strip wood moulding http://www.diy.com/departments/stripwood-moulding-t4mm-w25mm-l900mm/1240285_BQ.prd

10

Installed my NUC Saturday and put an entrance reducer in place. How long should I leave the entrance reducer in place. What governs needing an entrance reducer. I know guarding the entrance, also reducing ventilation and allowed the the pheromones of the Queen to be trapped better within the hive. What temperature should be outside before removing the entrance reducer if that’s even a valid question. When will I know I can remove the entrance reducer?

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I leave mine in all year. The bees like a small entrance and if there is a flow on they don’t mind queuing. If you have a mesh floor an entrance block has minimal bearing on ventilation.

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Sorry don’t understand this.

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Have you got a screened bottom board with mesh in it? If you have the bees can control the hive ventilation irrespective of how big the entrance is

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I do not understand the mash, I do have a screened bottom board. I’ve got a piece of foamcore closing it off for right now. It was suggested that I place the foamcore in the top slot to help with trapping the Queens pheromones inside as well as making it dark and warm for the bees. I certainly plan on removing the bottom foamcore eventually or moving it to the bottom slot to allow some ventilation.

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Is this what your floor looks like?


The picture is of a Langstroth screened bottom board
It is wire mesh in a frame, basically.

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Except the Flow one has 6 mesh squares per inch… :worried:

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I totally understand now, difference and terminology in language. That’s why pictures speak thousands of words :slight_smile: when you said screen the bottom board and mash I was envisioning 2 different things on top of each other one the screen and to the mash and reality they’re the same thing. If there were commas or other punctuation in the one above that I missed I’m sorry. Being new to this and all the terminology is something I know I take for granted with my coworkers in describing details of how hospitals go together.

1 Like
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MESH! …not mash.
Martydallas, I assume you’re in Texas, I’m from the south too so I know you know that “mash” only means to either push a button, go faster or stop (mash the pedal, mash the brakes) , or squish something.

:slight_smile: I understand your confusion completely.

1 Like
19

I think Marty might be needing some new glasses - eye glasses, not the other type! :smile:

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Hooray…
I knew we were talking the same language…in the end :blush:

1 Like