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Author Topic: Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?  (Read 3722 times)

Offline tillie

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Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?
« on: June 10, 2006, 08:20:00 am »
OK, I got confident and posted how I built this robber screen, but the way things are going this morning, I'm not sure if I need to change some things.

Please someone look at these two pictures and tell me if there is something else I need to do.

Because I am constructionally challenged, I didn't make the shim at the corner (which is supposed to make up for the fact that the screen is slightly larger than the width of the hive) completely flush with the bottom so the bees have an entry at the corner of the robber screen that a few are using:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6269/2875/640/DSC01124.jpg

There are bees congregating below the bungee cord.  These, I guess, could be robber bees.  They also could be bees of very little brain who can't figure out how to get over it.  Should I take the screen back off and drill holes in the side frames so that the bungee cord hooks could go there and the cord would not need to go competely across the front? (I'm not sure this is a possibility but I think it should be)

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6269/2875/640/DSC01126.jpg

Thanks in advance for your help,

Linda T in Atlanta and feeling panicked  :shock:

Offline randydrivesabus

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Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2006, 10:40:57 am »
i think i would have attached the bungee cords by partially driving a couple of screws (cordless driver/short drywall screws)into the side or back of the hive to attach one end of the bungee cord to and then hook the other end onto the screen. the other problem may be that the opening is too high.

Offline tillie

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Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2006, 11:21:27 am »
Yeah, it might be too high.  I posted a question to Jon McFadden whose directions I found for building one to see if he thought the height mattered.

I'm going to change the way the bungee cord attaches for my second hive.  How disturbing will it be for the bees if I screw in a screw at the back of the hive to hold the bungee?  I guess I'll suit up and use my electric cordless screwdriver and hope for the best.......ARGGHHHH :shock:

Linda T sweating out the robbing in Atlanta

Offline Apis629

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Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2006, 12:58:26 pm »
I can probably answer the first part of the question.  "If anything, by creating those small holes at the edges, you may have made an access for the robber bees, but, it is highly deffendable.  Also, WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MANY ROBBERS? Did a certain someone leave out the honey after extraction? :wink: "-quote from me at the time of writing...

Offline tillie

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Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2006, 01:12:53 pm »
Very funny - no, I haven't extracted any honey - last time I opened the hives was Friday, June 2 and I wasn't messy then  :lol: I am still waiting to taste the honey and at this rate may not get any this year.

We are in a dearth in Georgia and maybe my two hives are robbing each other - that's what it looks like from the bees that I see.  Although lots of folks in Metro buy their bee nucs from the same guy and there are two other beeks about 2 miles away from me (that I know about).  What I mean is that all our bees may be the same type??? So what looks like a familiar bee to me may be a 2 mile away neighbor desperate for nectar :shock:

This whole thing came as a shock to me, but I am trying to cope.  I will build the next robber screen a little more gracefully and we'll see if it is a better model for my second hive.

Linda T in Hotlanta

Online Michael Bush

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Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2006, 03:05:51 pm »
How do they get in?  The point is that the direct route (which the robbers will pick out by smell) is blocked by screen while an indirect route (which the locals will find as they leave) is open for the locals.

Here's mine from when I had a bottom entrance.  I made them from the screen doors from Brushy Mt.

http://www.bushfarms.com/images/RobberScreenHiveSide.JPG
http://www.bushfarms.com/images/RobberScreenOutside.JPG
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Offline tillie

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Is this the way a robber screen is supposed to work?
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2006, 03:16:21 pm »
Thanks for the pictures - that's a great model.  On mine they get in at the top which is open:

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/6269/2875/640/DSC01105.jpg

They seem to be doing fine now - no robbing is going on and most of the bees are climbing the 10" to get to the opening.  I've seen some confused ones who still land as if they are going to get in the bottom at the original entrance, but then they figure it out.

I have a cleat built of the wood shim with two nails - one in either end to hold it up when it is put in place if anyone suggests that I completely close the hive up tonight.

I haven't put a robber screen on the other hive yet but will today.

If I get brave, MB, I'll try to build one like yours.  Does it just slip into place - nothing needed to keep it there?

Linda T feeling some possible relief about the robbers