Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[cstruck]

I built a KTBH to Phils plans, 45". I bought aluminum mesh that measures 3.35mm. The mesh is #6x6 from TWP inc, $5.00 sq' minimum order is 15 sq'. The bees can't get through this mesh but even the largest SHB can fall through into the "Pool of Death"

[Uwe in USA]

I am a new beekeeper. What kind of mesh or material do you use to prevent the queen to enter a space just for Honey?
I am building my first TBBH and I have looked at many videos but I couldn't see what they use as a devider so the queen doesn't get through.

Thanks

Uwe

[biobee]

[Uwe in USA]

Hi, all.
This weekend I am building my first Top bar Bee hive.
I first went to Home Depot and bought some 1/4 inch metal mesh.
When I looked at it closer I thought that a bee can get through it very easy.
That was the smallest they had, so I returned it and went to my local hardware store which had a 10 foot roll of 1/8 metal mesh. 1/8 is about 3.175 mm so it shold be good for under the bee hive.

I didn't know that I dont need a queen excluder in a Top bar Bee Hive.
The one I bought had one so i thought I need one.

Can you please explain why I don't need one? Thanks



yeah bees!
uwe

[catchercradle]

In a horizontal top bar hive, the bees will naturally have the brood nest towards the centre of the area where they have built comb and will store honey on the bars at the outside. It is worth getting a copy of Phil's book or another good book on top bar hive beekeeping and reading through it over the winter before you get some bees so that you know a bit more about what to expect once you start. Also if there is another top bar beek near you, try and spend some time with them when they look at their bees.

You will still make mistakes but they are a lot less likely to be catastrophic ones.

Good luck

Dave

[bobbyp]

I had a left over roll of plastic window screen that I was thinking I could use. Do you think the hole size is too small..was thinking it would be ok? anyone ever use this? thanks bobby

[csturgess]

Can anyone help me figure out a way to remove the propolyis that the bees have laid down on my mesh flooring? I noticed it first directly under the brood area when the nights started getting a little cooler (August?) so I shut the door.
The other day I noticed a few bees coming through a gap in the netting/floor so climbed under the hive to put a few more staples in and even with the door shut they have propolysed more of the floor.
If the intention of the mesh floor is to allow the varroa to drop out and they have filled it in, what happens to all the varroa - if there is any? Luckily, to date I haven't noticed any varroa but I would hate for my hive to get it and not be able to get rid of them by natural drop through the mesh.
thanks

[biobee]

If your bees are propolizing the floor, they are trying to tell you something, most likely they want less cool air entering the hive at floor level.

It is always worth listening to the bees.

[Barbara]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I believe most of the varroa that drop onto the floor or through the mesh are dead or damaged and probably no longer pose a threat to the bees anyway. The mesh allows for you to monitor mite drop but it is certainly not an essential part of the hive in my opinion and I would definitely agree with Phil that your bees have expressed a preference for having a closed bottom to their hive. The threat posed to the brood by heat loss.... which incidentally enables varroa to breed more successfully, is more of a threat than mites not being able to drop out of the hive. I have solid floors in my longest surviving untreated colonies and I'm happy to leave them that way. I am also experimenting with Phil's deep litter floor and I think replicating as much of a natural tree cavity environment as we can is the way forward.

Unfortunately, varroa are a fact of life for honey bees in the UK and most other countries, so please don't allow yourself the luxury of thinking that yours don't have them. The good news is that some of us are finding that our bees are learning to cope with them, if we help rather than hinder them to achieve the optimum conditions.

Regards

Barbara

[Buzztheword]

If you use a vaporizer you will not want to use any type of nylon or plastic material as it will melt it.

I found the following stainless steel wire mesh on Amazon for a decent price.
Copy and paste the following information in the search in Amazon:

Allstar Performance (ALL22267) 1/8" Opening Stainless Screen, 3' x 3'

You can also get it in the 12" x 3' sections as well.

I hope this helps.