Any recommendations for a good be brush?

[bobba]

The title says it all.

Any recommendations for a good brush?

Thanks as always.

 

[Curly green finger's]

A goose feather or cockrel? Not a bee brush but.

 

[Monbees]

The title says it all.

Any recommendations for a good brush?

Thanks as always.

I have always used a goose feather, the largest feathers (pinions?), which l pick up this time of year when my geese are moulting. The feather is sufficiently firm to remove bees very effectively and not soft enough for bees to get trapped in as l have seen with regular bee brushes.

 

[Murox]

Feathers are good, goose if you can get one. Horse hair brushes are best in my opinion, if you can get one these days. Personally if I need to 'brush' I just use some longer grass or green fern/bracken fronds.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Red kite feather

 

[jeff33]

Red kite feather

You must be living in Ceredigion, we only have gulls here

 

[BugsInABox]

My bees hate (really really hate) being brushed. I now use a folded handful of grass.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Forget the bee brush, waste of time and money. Use a goose wing or just cut a leafy twig from a handy nearby hedge and use that.

 

[Curly green finger's]

That's an idea cheers, I've used grass on occasions but it gets in the hive.

 

[Murox]

That's an idea cheers, I've used grass on occasions but it gets in the hive.

Must be the wrong sort of grass!!!!!!!

 

[Curly green finger's]

Must be the wrong sort of grass!!!!!!!

. Yeah man! It's not devil's lettuce!

 

[pnkemp]

Forget the bee brush, waste of time and money. Use a goose wing or just cut a leafy twig from a handy nearby hedge and use that.

Where in the hell do you get a goose wing? I find they tend to fly a little faster than me.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Where in the hell do you get a goose wing? I find they tend to fly a little faster than me.

any poultry keeper who slaughters and dresses geese will have them, but personally, I seldom feel the urge or need to brush bees off comb so I don't have one.

 

[Monbees]

Where in the hell do you get a goose wing? I find they tend to fly a little faster than me.

No need for a wing which acts more like a bee brush where bees get caught, just a feather. If you pm me with your address l will send you a few!

 

[E&MBees]

Picked up a lovely buzzard feather today that was lying in the apiary.

 

[OldFarm]

Forget the bee brush, waste of time and money. Use a goose wing or just cut a leafy twig from a handy nearby hedge and use that.

I've tried a goose wing, the girls really don't like it. The wing picks up a lot of stings. I'm guessing it's the flesh that's the problem, because there is little reaction if I use a goose feather. Goose feather any day of the week for me. I now have a large stash for the coming year.

 

[North End Bees]

You must be living in Ceredigion, we only have gulls here

Starting to see a lot more red kites here in Essex in recent times.

 

[holmbee]

I am fortunate and get given a swan feather from time to time. Excellent for gently removing remaining left over bees when clearing supers.

 

[madasafish]

Grass.
Nettles work as well.

 

[North End Bees]

Nettles work as well.

My mentor always used nettles to brush bees off capped frames. Very old school (she kept bees 50+ years).
She said not to pick ones with seedheads on as the tiny seeds can turn up as black specks in the honey.