Hive Drapes?

[Stevebug]

I suppose I will contact Billy Davis but I was wondering if anyone knows where to buy these? We saw them at a local Beekeepers Association meeting when Billy gave an abbreviated talk on starting nucs. By the looks of it up close it appears to be a thick roll up shade material on two wooden spindles. The way you use it would be to roll it out so that the opening on top of the frames is only slightly wider than the frame you pull out. A real gentle way to work a hive so that you don't open all the top of the hive to sunlight AND they are less agitated as you work. I have some old roll up shades that I may make into one of these but I thought I would like to see either one in action or figure how it is made. (In the powerpoint presentation there was only a photo. He did have one to look at but he was covered up with beekeepers so I could not ask further questions) In searching on the net for this what comes up the most is Martha Stewart's Honeybee Drapery. Not quite intended for hive use, unless you consider your living room a big hive box!!! Thanks for any help. Steve

[Michael Bush]

www.beeworks.com sells a canvas version.

I had one.  Never used it.  Sold it to someone finally.

[tillie]

We use flour sacking towels that you buy at Walmart for cheap as hive drapes.  I think it makes a real difference in how calm the bees stay.  The flour sacking is tightly woven (to keep flour in the sack) so the bees don't catch on the threads.  I put one on either side of the frames I am removing.

I first did this last year and I'm a believer - it makes a calm, calm inspection.  I hardly use smoke anyway but with hive drapes I don't need it at all.

No need to buy a commercial set of hive drapes, though - just go to WalMart.  I can't find them online but they are in every WalMart store I've ever entered.

Linda T in Atlanta

[tillie]

Here's a bunch of them at Amazon - they run about $2 a towel or maybe a little less:

http://tinyurl.com/4qgfcqp

Linda T

[T Beek]

My wife is a seamstress, she made me 6 of these covers out of a canvas drop cloth ($7.00) plus dowels ($4.00) in less than an hour.  They are GREAT for those times when you have to dig into a hive or for calming a p.od. one.  I've seen them for sale for as much as $20.00 a piece.  Since using them I also use much less smoke.

thomas

[Kathyp]

don't even need to sew.  just get some of that hot tape and iron the stuff together.  that's how i used to get the pockets of my inspection camouflage  uniform to stay down.   :evil:

[tillie]

We don't sew them or do anything. Julia my beekeeping buddy at Blue Heron and I simply lay two towels over the open box - one on either side of the frame we are examining.....just like a doc in surgery.  I have a purchased one and actually find the weighted part and the opening that is set with no flexibility to be much less pleasing than simply using the flour sacking towels as is - no sewing needed.

Linda T in Atlanta

PS Here's a picture of how we use them (scroll down to about the fifth picture):  http://tinyurl.com/4cx9pfr

[Stevebug]

Thanks for the info everyone. I have all but given up using gloves and have become more gentle with the bees. These clothes seem to be the way to go. Thanks again!!