Petroleum jelly, anyone?

[TooBee...]

Does anyone use petroleum jelly (well known brand name is Vaseline) between their boxes to prevent the bees sticking it together with bee glue?

Described here,
http://dave-cushman.net/bee/petjel.html

 

[ShinySideUp]

The whole point of bees using propolis is to seal up any holes and keep themselves safe and secure and surely applying Vaseline would prevent the bees doing their job. Let's face it, it's not a huge chore to put the hive tool in and break any seal the bees have made, the disturbance caused by doing this fades into insignificance when compared to the fact that Vaseline or not, you have just removed the roof of their home. If propolis was more like nails or Araldite then petroleum jelly might serve a purpose but to prevent a minor stickiness...I won't be bothering.

 

[TooBee...]

The whole point of bees using propolis is to seal up any holes ...

Yes, I understand, but I was thinking of it being used with Rebated boxes - the Buckfast Abbey Hive had them, we discussed it here https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42067&highlight=rebated

My concern was that even though my hive boxes are new and appear tight fitting (unlike many other older wooden hives that I've seen, which contain less bee glue) my bees seem intent on gluing everything, even the frames are getting a good layer of bee glue!

I'm intending on building a Hive but have the boxes rebated to make it extra airtight for them (and stable), I'm guessing that should reduce the amount of bee glue at the joins, but they're really lathering it on, so I suspect that they will just keep on gluing up! So I thought maybe petroleum jelly would make it easier to work with... can you see from where I'm coming from?

 

[Finman]

,
Actually boxes are glued together with the burr between frames. Propolis between boxes is nothing nuisance .

Only a bad habit that vaseline between boxes.

You twist with knife in corners and boxes will be separated.

 

[enrico]

A tip, when you take the box's apart run you hive tool round the edge between the box's. Now instead of just lifting and finding that all the frames are stuck together put a hand at opposite corners of the box to be removed and turn it clockwise or anti clockwise. This brake all the seals between the frames and makes it easier to lift. Or.......do what I do with sticky bee hives and put each box at right angles to the other. Try it, it works well!
E

 

[Poly Hive]

Steele and Brodie used to sell a rebated box called the "Wormitt Hive" and it was sold on the basis of non moving hive parts whilst moving.

I had a little chat with the ex foreman from S&B and he told me that it just didn't work that well as the wood kept splitting along the rebate.

There is very little new and the problems are always pretty much the same ones.

PH.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Some bees are just really sticky.

 

[taurus]

A tip, when you take the box's apart run you hive tool round the edge between the box's. Now instead of just lifting and finding that all the frames are stuck together put a hand at opposite corners of the box to be removed and turn it clockwise or anti clockwise. This brake all the seals between the frames and makes it easier to lift. Or.......do what I do with sticky bee hives and put each box at right angles to the other. Try it, it works well!
E

I might try that - some of mine are fiends for sticking frames to each other.

 

[coffindodger]

Does anyone use petroleum jelly (well known brand name is Vaseline) between their boxes to prevent the bees sticking it together with bee glue?
Tried it on non-rebated boxes. They slid apart whenever I need to do anything. Quite dangerous. Had to clean it all off.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Does anyone use petroleum jelly (well known brand name is Vaseline) between their boxes to prevent the bees sticking it together with bee glue?
Tried it on non-rebated boxes. They slid apart whenever I need to do anything. Quite dangerous. Had to clean it all off.

I can imagine moving one box and having all the other boxes sliding off all over the place. It would be like trying to stack tennis balls.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Wouldn't it melt to in the heat sun ect .. I think the bee's make enough sticky stuff . I've used vasaline round the hive legs for ants though..

 

[Swarm]

There is absolutely no need to use it. Do not paint mating faces, otherwise they split apart no differently than cedar boxes.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Does anyone use petroleum jelly (well known brand name is Vaseline) between their boxes to prevent the bees sticking it together with bee glue?

Described here,
http://dave-cushman.net/bee/petjel.html

I do with my poly hives. I dont bother with wood.

 

[TooBee...]

A tip, ... Or.......do what I do with sticky bee hives and put each box at right angles to the other. Try it, it works well!
E

You mean, if the Brood Box is placed the 'Cold Way' then the Super that is being placed ontop of it should be placed the 'Warm Way' and the Super ontop of it, the 'Cold Way' and so on. Have I understood that right?

Thanks for the other tip of running the Hive Tool along, duh, sounds so simple now I think about it!

 

[TooBee...]

I do with my poly hives. I dont bother with wood.

Yes, I was thinking with Poly(styrene) type hives you need to be a bit more gentle when lifting the Supers off, etc.

 

[Bakerbee]

I think i have really sticky bees. Think mine think theyre propolus bees not honey bees. Its everywhere. Need to spend an afternoon cleaning it all up. Any handy hints?

 

[Finman]

I think i have really sticky bees. Think mine think theyre propolus bees not honey bees. Its everywhere. Need to spend an afternoon cleaning it all up. Any handy hints?

Buy a new Queen.
.

 

[Curly green fingers]

I think i have really sticky bees. Think mine think theyre propolus bees not honey bees. Its everywhere. Need to spend an afternoon cleaning it all up. Any handy hints?

I use washing soda to clean used frames boxes tools ect it comes of a treat you can buy it from the super market.

 

[Anduril]

Any handy hints?

Make propolis tincture.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

A tip, when you take the box's apart run you hive tool round the edge between the box's. Now instead of just lifting and finding that all the frames are stuck together put a hand at opposite corners of the box to be removed and turn it clockwise or anti clockwise. This brake all the seals between the frames and makes it easier to lift. Or.......do what I do with sticky bee hives and put each box at right angles to the other. Try it, it works well!
E

Interesting - I've not tried this, but think I'll give it a go. I guess it reduces the amount of "mating faces" and thus the opportunity to stick them together?