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Author Topic: SHB screen for inner cover  (Read 3553 times)

Offline qa33010

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SHB screen for inner cover
« on: October 23, 2009, 01:47:33 am »
    I was going to post this in the Equipment Section...


    I've been thinking about going to migratory lids for the hives and have some concerns about upper entrances and shb.  I am currently using screened bottom boards and have yet to see a beetle anywhere but the top of the hives.  When I use a solid bottom board they are everywhere and I have lost every solid bottom hive to shb in the past year (6 so far).  Other than nuc's I am all screened now.  I lost one hive three weeks ago that was screened bottom board and am setting traps in the last three hives and trap out.  

     To the point or question is; I have a trapout with a nuc right now that I used window screen to cover the feeder/vent(?) hole in the inner cover.  I have experimented with feeding and it doesn't SEEM to hinder access to a jar.  Since I prop my lids for ventilation, unless it's a top entrance hive, do you think the screen will be enough to keep the SHB from accessing the hive that way?  Or do you think they may still squeeze in?
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline TwT

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Re: SHB screen for inner cover
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2009, 05:30:21 am »
personally I wouldn't worry about it because they just need the bottom entrance to get in the hive, it seems they are here to stay so the best thing to do is use some kind of trap to control their numbers.
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new.
Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline AR Beekeeper

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Re: SHB screen for inner cover
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2009, 06:18:49 pm »
The beetle can't get through window screen, but it can squeeze through 8 mesh hardware cloth.  I use a SBB on my nucs and cover the feeder hole in the inner cover and I have not had ventilation or beetle problems.

Offline David LaFerney

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Re: SHB screen for inner cover
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2009, 06:26:15 pm »
What ARbeekeeper said.  That's exactly what I've seen.
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

Putting the "ape" in apiary since 2009.

Offline SlickMick

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Re: SHB screen for inner cover
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2009, 05:48:35 pm »
    I was going to post this in the Equipment Section...


    I've been thinking about going to migratory lids for the hives and have some concerns about upper entrances and shb.  I am currently using screened bottom boards and have yet to see a beetle anywhere but the top of the hives.  When I use a solid bottom board they are everywhere and I have lost every solid bottom hive to shb in the past year (6 so far).  Other than nuc's I am all screened now.  I lost one hive three weeks ago that was screened bottom board and am setting traps in the last three hives and trap out.  

     To the point or question is; I have a trapout with a nuc right now that I used window screen to cover the feeder/vent(?) hole in the inner cover.  I have experimented with feeding and it doesn't SEEM to hinder access to a jar.  Since I prop my lids for ventilation, unless it's a top entrance hive, do you think the screen will be enough to keep the SHB from accessing the hive that way?  Or do you think they may still squeeze in?

As an aside to your question I would be doing something about the shb rather than lose all those hives and effort. At least put traps in and manage their numbers


Mick

Offline qa33010

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Re: SHB screen for inner cover
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2009, 01:52:23 am »
    Yeah,  but the solid bottom board hives crashed quickly and this last one was a surprise.  I thought I had the hive volume down so the bees could protect it all.  I did omit the fact that I was in the hives about a week before and this hive seemed to have beetles explode when I pulled the super off the upper brood box.  So I may have released them from a corral/jail situation and they paid me back.  You're right though, traps are the way to go.  Too bad for the bees I do idiotic things.

   Just checked my notes and I was in nine days before.
Everyone said it couldn't be done. But he with a chuckle replied, "I won't be one to say it is so, until I give it a try."  So he buckled right in with a trace of a grin.  If he had a worry he hid it and he started to sing as he tackled that thing that couldn't be done, and he did it.  (unknown)

Offline SlickMick

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Re: SHB screen for inner cover
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2009, 06:01:16 am »
You have only to give the  bees a bit more space than they are able to protect and bingo! the shb can take over.

I find that it is always worth having an entrance a bit smaller than too bit to allow the guard bees to do their job

Mick