Guardian Bee Hive Entrance

The Guardian Bee Hive Entrance is a patented hive entrance designed to help deter small hive beetles by masking the entrance and disrupting their ability to enter the colony.

Key Features & Benefits

• Patented Beetle-Deterrent Design: Masks the hive entrance to make navigation difficult for small hive beetles.
• Physical Barrier Geometry: Entrance edges are difficult for small hive beetles to traverse.
• Red Light Technology: Uses red light to deter small hive beetles and disrupt invasive behavior.
• Bottom Board Entrance Use: Designed to function as the primary hive entrance when mounted on the bottom board.
• Wide Hive Compatibility: Works with 10-frame, 8-frame, and 5-frame nucleus colonies.
• Drone-Friendly Opening: Entrance width allows drones to exit without restriction.
• Seasonal Use Guidance: Intended for use during active beetle seasons and warmer temperatures.

Detailed Description

The Guardian Bee Hive Entrance is a patented entrance system developed to help reduce small hive beetle intrusion into honey bee colonies. It works by masking the hive entrance and altering the physical structure of the opening, making it difficult for small hive beetles to navigate and successfully enter the hive.

This version of the Guardian is designed to be installed on the bottom board and serve as the primary entrance to the colony. It must be attached to a wooden entrance reducer or similar wooden support to secure it in place. Screws are not included.

In addition to its physical barrier design, the Guardian incorporates red light technology. According to the manufacturer, red light has been shown to deter small hive beetles and interfere with their invasive behavior, providing an additional layer of protection at the hive entrance.

The Guardian is compatible with standard 10-frame and 8-frame Langstroth hives, as well as 5-frame nucleus colonies. The entrance opening measures approximately 0.29 inches wide—nearly twice the width of a standard queen excluder opening (0.15625 inches). For reference, a standard worker cell is approximately 0.20 inches wide and a drone cell is approximately 0.25 inches wide, allowing drones to exit freely.

Manufacturer Use Guidelines

• Not recommended for use below 40°F, as small hive beetles are inactive and damage to the Guardian may occur.

• Not designed to function as a mouse guard.

• Recommended for installation when temperatures are above 50°F or during fresh package or nucleus hive installations.

• Bees typically adapt to using the Guardian within approximately two hours.

Note: Screws are not included.

Learn more about When Do I Add or Remove an Entrance Reducer on our blog.

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