Reducing the Entrance
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Toward autumn, the entrance is reduced to a few centimeters.
Toward autumn, the entrance is reduced to a few centimeters. A weak colony cannot defend a wide entrance against robbing, and in winter, wide openings attract mice. The winter setup should be in place by around the end of October.
For this, a mouse guard or an entrance reducer wedge is used. For a wedge with a continuous slot, a height of at most about 6 millimeters applies, otherwise field mice and shrews can slip through. Guards may be somewhat wider; recommendations here range from around 6 to 8 millimeters of mesh width.
Pay attention to colony strength: a strong colony still needs enough opening in autumn for air exchange, otherwise moisture builds up. Narrow wedges also tend to clog easily with dead bees, while guards mostly stay passable. For weak colonies and during periods of robbing, it is better to set the opening narrower.