Universal Metal Entrance Reducer
Fits most hive types. Functions as entrance reducer and flips to a mouse guard for fall and winter.
- Dual function: entrance reducer on one side, mouse guard on the other
- Metal construction — more durable than wooden reducers
- Fits most standard 10-frame bottom boards
What it is
A metal entrance reducer that fits both 8-frame and 10-frame Langstroth bottom boards. Slides into the front entrance of the hive and narrows the opening to a single small hole, giving the bees less area to defend and making the colony more resistant to robbing.
When to use one
New packages and nucs that haven't built up enough foragers to defend a full-width entrance. Weak colonies in fall when robbing pressure is highest. Winter to keep drafts minimal and excluding mice.
Metal vs. wood
Metal reducers don't warp, don't absorb moisture, and don't rot — all things wood entrance reducers eventually do in Arkansas humidity. A metal reducer lives on the hive for years with no maintenance.
Usage notes
Remove once the colony is strong enough — typically a few weeks after install for packages, or once the bees are clustering behind a full-width entrance on their own. A reducer left on a strong colony during a flow chokes foraging traffic.
Compatibility
Universal sizing works for 8-frame and 10-frame Langstroth bottom boards. Sold separately from the bottom board; most Premier bottom boards ship with a wooden reducer included, but many beekeepers upgrade to metal for longevity.
