Rich,
The bees won't tolerate intruders unless they (the bees) are
clustered in the upper reaches of the hive and can't get down to defend.
In PA. I leave the entrances open all summer and place entrance cleats
on in the Fall. A cleat may help keep winds out and keep the colony a
little warmer. The hardware cloth mentioned in other responses is great
and can be left on all year.
Jery in PA
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