Floors

[victor meldrew]

I'm am still confused by your reply ! Do you sit by your hive every daylight hour ?
Bees like a space they can defend if they are to thrive. Wasps and robbing bees will use every available hour of daylight once a vulnerable colony is identified , either by the waggle dance or scent printing by wasps .
Leave theorising for another place ,this is, as has been quoted, the beginners section . It is hard enough to get ones head around the basics of beekeeping without being given doubtful info !
VM


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[jenkinsbrynmair]

this is, as has been quoted, the beginners section . It is hard enough to get ones head around the basics of beekeeping without being given doubtful info !

And there seems to be a lot of dubious advice on here, maybe people think that as they are talking to beginners they can bluff their way along to look wiser rather than be pulled up as on the main forum?

Just noticed that half my original reply (the relevant bit) seems to have disappeared - never mind, I think someone else covered it

 

[Bosleeu]

Sorry about the confusion, and I hope the OP will not be misguided by me into doing this, but I think he/she will understand that I don't think it's a good idea. I made that pretty clear.

I think my bees are doing quite well, and yes I do spend a lot of time with them, but you are right, not every waking hour.

 

[Bosleeu]

Dear All,

Thankyou for all your kind words had I thought more I would have come up with the same answer but oviously not thought it through, I did think about the queen not getting OUT but failed miserably on everytghing else getting IN. I can asure you all at my age I have been called a lot worse that Stupid so I dont take offence easy.

Agsin Many thanks for all yopur relpies

You are welcome, good thinking, and all the best with your bees.

 

[Bosleeu]

And there seems to be a lot of dubious advice on here, maybe people think that as they are talking to beginners they can bluff their way along to look wiser rather than be pulled up as on the main forum?

Just noticed that half my original reply (the relevant bit) seems to have disappeared - never mind, I think someone else covered it

Best advice I ever had on this forum was "Don't feed the Troll". Stupidly I forgot that too soon, thanks for reminding me.

 

[Moggett]

The best advice for a beginner is to use equipment for the purpose it was designed and made for!

 

[Torq]

I use a 4mm plastic mesh (from the garden section of my local diy store) in the dartington inspired floors of my hives.

It's small enough to stop bees and wasps passing through but allows every bit of debris to fall out of the hive. It may also explain why the only hive I had last year with a varroa problem was on a solid floor and the others were and still are practically varroa free.

The bees also use it as a shortcut for transferring nectar without having to enter the hive.

 

[victor meldrew]

The best advice for a beginner is to use equipment for the purpose it was designed and made for!

Your in the right ball park there, however , QEs are used under the brood box to prevent a newly hived split or swarm from absconding until settled .
Definitely not to be used for more than a few days ,after all ,the said colonies could headed by a virgin . Now that's a whole new ball game ,
VM

 

[domino]

please,enlighten me on what words can be used to "encourage" someone that their idea is a no brainer

Sub optimal.

 

[Moggett]

Your in the right ball park there, however , QEs are used under the brood box to prevent a newly hived split or swarm from absconding until settled .
Definitely not to be used for more than a few days ,after all ,the said colonies could headed by a virgin . Now that's a whole new ball game ,
VM

Yes, it's being used to prevent queens passing through it - what it was designed and made for!

 

[Bosleeu]

The bees also use it as a shortcut for transferring nectar without having to enter the hive.

Now that is very interesting.