Mono-filament fishing line gauge

[Bee Bumble]

What is the best gauge of mono-filament fishing line to use for 'wiring' frames and which type of plastic (I have seen nylon and PE advertised). Thanks for all answers.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not quite what you asked for but this thread is a brilliant read and has just that info buried in it somewhere
http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27494&highlight=fishing+line+tom+bick

 

[Anduril]

I use 30lb breaking strain fishing line for around £2.60 a reel

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes you want to be 30 lb + I have seen one frame where the bees went through 30 lb and it must have taken them ages.

 

[jonnybeegood]

I'm only a beginner at beekeeping but i have been a trout & salmon angler for 37 years, a lot of us now use braided line rather than mono as it has no stretch, you can also get it wax coated , could this be an option as opposed to monofilament? 30lb braid is more like the diameter of 6lb mono.

 

[Anduril]

If the 30lb braided line has the same diameter as 6lb mono I personally wouldn't use it, as I have seen how quickly they chew through the 6lb mono line. Unless someone would like to comment who has used the braided line.

 

[richardbees]

What's wrong with wire - is it because nylon line is cheaper?

 

[jonnybeegood]

If the 30lb braided line has the same diameter as 6lb mono I personally wouldn't use it, as I have seen how quickly they chew through the 6lb mono line. Unless someone would like to comment who has used the braided line.

We use braided line as it is much more difficult for fish to bite through or even to cut, mono can be snapped by one sharp tooth, braid cant, i would thjnk bees would find it difficult too. if you wanted it the same diameter as 30 mono you can just buy thicker, stronger braid. I would have thought it would look & feel more natural than either mono or wire.

 

[fatshark]

They got through a couple of frames of mine with 30lb mono last season. I'm using thicker stuff this year. I wouldn't bother with braid on the grounds of cost alone. You can buy 500m of cheapo sea fishing mono for about £7.

 

[jonnybeegood]

They got through a couple of frames of mine with 30lb mono last season. I'm using thicker stuff this year. I wouldn't bother with braid on the grounds of cost alone. You can buy 500m of cheapo sea fishing mono for about £7.

But its no good if bees chew through it? Braid is more expensive but being wax coated the bees might not even think about chewing through it as it wont look so strange. Anyway, it was just an idea. I'm not telling people to use it, i thought it may be an option. I'm sticking with wire Lol

 

[Tom Bick]

I'm only a beginner at beekeeping but i have been a trout & salmon angler for 37 years, a lot of us now use braided line rather than mono as it has no stretch, you can also get it wax coated , could this be an option as opposed to monofilament? 30lb braid is more like the diameter of 6lb mono.

I was going to mention braided line in my earlier post as I know someone who used it and the bees had no problem in chewing through it, strands of the stuff hanging down from the frames as he inspected. Some of the real heavy braided line may be ok but it will have to be well over 30 lb to be safe.

 

[oliver90owner]

a lot of us now use braided line rather than mono

Bees are not fish. Fish don't chew away polystyrene blocks, shred clingfilm and a host of other things bees do. 'Horses for courses' is the term for applications such as this. Post your recommendation if and when you know it works, is my suggestion.

You seem to have far more experience of fishing than beekeeping. I was coarse fishing over fifty years ago, but would not comment on current technology. I will likely stick with my trusty 12 1/2 foot cane and greenheart rod with my half bale fixed spool Mitchell reel. Sound, well tried and trusted combination that was proven to work.

 

[drstitson]

personally i find that fishing line doesn't conduct electricity adequately and doesn't melt the wax.

 

[jonnybeegood]

a lot of us now use braided line rather than mono

Bees are not fish. Fish don't chew away polystyrene blocks, shred clingfilm and a host of other things bees do. 'Horses for courses' is the term for applications such as this. Post your recommendation if and when you know it works, is my suggestion.

You seem to have far more experience of fishing than beekeeping. I was coarse fishing over fifty years ago, but would not comment on current technology. I will likely stick with my trusty 12 1/2 foot cane and greenheart rod with my half bale fixed spool Mitchell reel. Sound, well tried and trusted combination that was proven to work.

Mine wasnt a recommendation, if you read it properly you would see that.

 

[fatshark]

But its no good if bees chew through it? Braid is more expensive but being wax coated the bees might not even think about chewing through it as it wont look so strange. Anyway, it was just an idea. I'm not telling people to use it, i thought it may be an option. I'm sticking with wire Lol

Even the few frames the bees did chew through didn't cause a problem. They tended to choose the lower or middle strand by which time the rest of the comb was usually well secured wax. The straggly end of mono simply needs cutting off. I never had a frame collapse.

One difference I noticed between mono and wire was the bees usually raised brood in the cells immediately above the mono. You often see a characteristic V shape on wired frames as they ignore these for some reason.

 

[BeeJayBee]

But its no good if bees chew through it? Braid is more expensive but being wax coated the bees might not even think about chewing through it as it wont look so strange. Anyway, it was just an idea. I'm not telling people to use it, i thought it may be an option. I'm sticking with wire Lol

They'll chew through the individual strands of braided fishing line more quickly than monofilament, and you'll see the little strands being pulled out through the entrance. It won't take them long, they're quite determined creatures.

What wax is used for the coating? Would it be okay for bees to eat?

 

[jonnybeegood]

They'll chew through the individual strands of braided fishing line more quickly than monofilament, and you'll see the little strands being pulled out through the entrance. It won't take them long, they're quite determined creatures.

What wax is used for the coating? Would it be okay for bees to eat?

Not sure what type of wax is used but i wouldnt think the bees would eat it.

 

[BeeJayBee]

If they chew the fishing line they have to also chew the wax that it's covered with.

 

[jonnybeegood]

If they chew the fishing line they have to also chew the wax that it's covered with.

Chewing through it is different to actually eating it.