Screening hives

[Pollybell]

I have 3 hives in a corner of my garden screened off with privet hedging to send the bees up over head height. This was fine in the early days but the hedge is getting big, casts a shadow over the hives and makes it harder to watch the bees. Pruning back helps for a time but isn't really the answer.

I want to remove the hedge and replace with mesh screening. Is it particular important how fine the mesh is or will they fly up over it regardless of the fineness of the mesh?

Thanks

 

[snelgrove]

Any size mesh will form a barrier and the bees will fly over it, a hedge is the best option for making bee fly high. With a mesh fence hives will be visible, its amazing how some folk claim to,be getting stung when hives are visible but when they don't know there there, it's not a problem.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I have 3 hives in a corner of my garden screened off with privet hedging to send the bees up over head height. This was fine in the early days but the hedge is getting big, casts a shadow over the hives and makes it harder to watch the bees. Pruning back helps for a time but isn't really the answer.

I want to remove the hedge and replace with mesh screening. Is it particular important how fine the mesh is or will they fly up over it regardless of the fineness of the mesh?

Thanks

Cut the hedge a couple of times a year using a decent hedgetrimmer. Alternatively grub it out and plant box so you can practice the art of topiary. A nice shape of a skep would be a simple start.