dc197
New Bee
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2010
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 3
Hi all
I have a question about entrances please.
A week ago I added thymol and reduced the entrance from 4" to 1" to help with robbers. I wanted to use the second entrance block I bought specially, but it did not fit, so as a stop-gap I used Blu-Tack (actually American-bought white tack of some sort) to do the trick. I added this reducer 24 hours after adding the thymol.
A week later, the bees didn't seem to care about the entrance, until today. I'd applied the second dose of thymol yesterday, and today when I came for a mite count I could see the bees biting and dumping the putty from the entrance to make it bigger.
It seems strange that they would go a week tolerating it, but the day after more thymol they removed it. Perhaps they wanted more ventilation, perhaps they wanted more space for foraging (they're still busy).
My question, please:
1. Why do you think they delayed in removing it?
2. If the bees want a large entrance, should I overrule them and reduce it (properly)? There are always wasps trying it on.
3. Is Blu-Tack or similar harmful in any way?
Many thanks in advance
DC
I have a question about entrances please.
A week ago I added thymol and reduced the entrance from 4" to 1" to help with robbers. I wanted to use the second entrance block I bought specially, but it did not fit, so as a stop-gap I used Blu-Tack (actually American-bought white tack of some sort) to do the trick. I added this reducer 24 hours after adding the thymol.
A week later, the bees didn't seem to care about the entrance, until today. I'd applied the second dose of thymol yesterday, and today when I came for a mite count I could see the bees biting and dumping the putty from the entrance to make it bigger.
It seems strange that they would go a week tolerating it, but the day after more thymol they removed it. Perhaps they wanted more ventilation, perhaps they wanted more space for foraging (they're still busy).
My question, please:
1. Why do you think they delayed in removing it?
2. If the bees want a large entrance, should I overrule them and reduce it (properly)? There are always wasps trying it on.
3. Is Blu-Tack or similar harmful in any way?
Many thanks in advance
DC