Bill T wrote:
>Completely agree. For most of the last 25 years or so I left the entrance reducers on all year long with no issues (remember this is Maine where we >have 2 seasons- winter and the 4th of July.) Two years ago I was convinced to at least open the reducer by putting it on a 45 degree angle. When I >saw the "robbing" I did move the reducer back in place.I am going back to my usual all year long reducer.
>
>I am not sure even an entrance reducer cuts it with an invasion, so I will add a robbing screen in late Autumn. Maybe run a little experiment and l>eave them off one hive.

Bill, like you, I leave entrance reducers on all year.  Mine are screened metal with a slider-adjustable entrance on one side and a 10 or so bee-sized openings along the rest of the screen (it can be flipped upside down to limit it to just the adjustable entrance, which means they can be completely closed off, great to prevent robbing of deadouts and invasions by mice of same).  The only downside I’ve seen compared to the simple wooden reducers with a center entrance is that colonies tend to build up on the side with the sliding entrance, rather than in the middle of the hive.  Although, once they are really established, it doesn’t seem to matter, and they shift to the center of the column.  

I’ve used robber screens in the past and have them stashed away in the barn somewhere.  Other than being rather bulky (they are the rectangular design with closable entrances on the top), I’ve wondered if it would be better to just leave them on all the time.  The bees from that colony figure it out fast enough.  And they would serve as both reducers and mouse guards.  Other than an inconvenience, if you want to flip boxes (since they are attached to the bottom box), would there be a downside?  Would ‘robbers-in-training’ eventually figure it out?  Maybe I’ll run a small experiment later this summer, if summer ever arrives.

Since you asked earlier about how the March packages fared, Bill, here’s a quick update.  All seem to be hanging in there.  Can’t give a detailed assessment, because winter just keeps tooling along up here.  Right now it’s 27 F / -3 C with freezing rain and sleet and a fresh coating on the ground.  Yes, once again, everything is white.  This month we’ve had all of 3 days above 50 F / 10 C – Apr 11 – 13.  I got home late on the 13th and THOUGHT I saw grayish tan pollen coming in, but later Erin said the bees had been all over the chicken feed, which is about the same color, so they could have been scavenging protein from the pellets.  Can’t see anything remotely close to blooming around here.
Yesterday, I intended to open the hives and pull frames to check for eggs and brood, but the temp steadily dropped from mid-40’s / ~7C into the 30’s / ~4C, so I just pulled covers and checked stores.  All were taking the dry sugar on top but had only nibbled on the pollen patties.  Wish I could tell you they have brood, but that check will have to wait until next weekend (he said, hopefully).

Finally, on Friday evening I went back out to the hives, happy to just be able to watch them in action.  Broke one of my cardinal rules, which is not to stand in front of the hives, but figured I would only be there for a minute or so.  Took two quick stings.  That was my Stupid Human Trick for the day.

FINALLY, finally, Erin and I came home from dinner last night around 2030 and spooked a very large bear that was systematically destroying her bird feeders.  It was much larger than the ~ 200 lb. / 100 kg. bear that took out my hives last summer.  We had to lock down the chickens for the night (electric fence around their coop/bunker), so I went out with her, flashlight in one hand, Sig P226 9mm in the other.  Would have been an interesting confrontation.  Fortunately, the apiary electric fence is working (checked it last week), and the hives were OK this morning.  But, I think I will be out there on stakeout tonight, weather permitting.  There is really nothing out, yet, for the bears to eat, and I’m concerned that even a functioning electric fence will not be sufficient deterrent.  Anyway, the Early Package Saga continues…..

Bill
Claremont, NH US, where we have FIVE seasons – Winter, Mud, Black Fly, 4th of July, Colors

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