Open mesh floor hole size

Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum

Help Support Beekeeping & Apiculture Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

The Hyde Ranger

House Bee
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
150
Reaction score
0
Location
Swansea, South Wales.
Hive Type
14x12
Number of Hives
4
I want to make some open mesh floors and would like to know if plastic mesh with 5mm x 5mm holes would be suitable, :confused: Your comments would be appriciated, Regards Nigel
 
Hi Nigel,
Check this out: Dave Cushman's site to the rescue once again. :svengo:

5mm is a good size for pollen stripping, but sub 4mm is required to be bee tight.
 
I agree. Bees will get out of 5 x 5 and you know where they will land...

PH
 
RAB, do you perchance have any information regarding the maximum size of mesh required to keep the wasps out?
 
Hombre,

Depends really on the size of the wasp! I do know I have an expanded mesh floor sheet, from Thorne, through which some wasps can squeeze through just a few of the holes! I don't think that would normally present a hazard as an OMF, and certainly not on a strong colony, but demonstrates the point. I put an OMF over a few frames, just while re-organising frames and colonies, last year and they were inside that super in short time!

Regards, RAB
 
4mm is QE size 2mm could possibly not let all varroa fall through. 3mm is ideal.
 
I've just found a chart that gives mesh sizes, it seems that mesh size 10 is slightly smaller than 2MM, so maybe a 9 or even 8 might be 3MM
 
You also need to consider % open area V hole size, for maxium chance of mites falling through and not sitting on non hole section.
 
Poly Hive,

But did they get access through the floor mesh or another hole?

I wrote: wasps can squeeze through just a few of the holes!

I don't need to answer any more than that. If you don't believe what I wrote, that is up to you.

RAB
 
Try these people, they do squares cut to size and are very helpful http://www.jtwirecloth.com/
as for plastic I was warned against it years ago as the bees can and do chew their way through it
 

Latest posts

Back
Top