Sealing hive for thymol

[MuswellMetro]

I had a slight disagreement today over whether to seal the base of a national with gaffer tape when applying Apiguard

i never seal up the seams of my hives and the varroa boards fit reasonable in the slot and the back edge of varroa board blocks the rear of the hive

However a friend runs gaffer tape around his floor/brood junction and ensures the rear of the varroa board is also gaffer taped in

His veiw is that it holds the heavier than air thymol vapour in and that he therefore gets a better kill of mites

what do others on here do, do you think it is worth gaffer taping up the seams when the entrance block gives quite a large gap at the front of the hive at floor level that lets out all the thymol vapour

 

[VEG]

not worth the bother. Whenever I try to get them apart they have always been stuck together with bee glue lol

 

[Nic Rhodes]

gaffer tape and bee suits / gloves don't mix!

 

[sherwood]

no need for gaffer tape the only stickyness that can of benefit is on the examination board so you dont loose the dropped mite to the ants

 

[MuswellMetro]

Does anyone seal the floor seam and back of varroa board then or is it just a local variation around my area

i could perhaps understand it on a Th**nes ecomony floor as the rear gap to the varroa slot is large

 

[drstitson]

i think if i had a hive made by mons ab it'd need the tape!!!!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

i think if i had a hive made by mons ab it'd need the tape!!!!

Brilliant idea - you'd be doubling its strength then

Back to OP though, does rather seem overkill doesn't it - I'd have though some ventilation below would be helpful for air circulation

 

[Skyhook]

Avoid Tescos for sugar for bees QUOTE]

Why? I've been away- have I missed something?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Avoid Tescos for sugar for bees QUOTE]

Why? I've been away- have I missed something?

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=13377


http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=13637

 

[itma]

Does anyone seal the floor seam and back of varroa board then or is it just a local variation around my area

i could perhaps understand it on a Th**nes ecomony floor as the rear gap to the varroa slot is large

Saw one last weekend where a strip of roofing membrane was neatly attached to the edge of the removable board, thus sealing the bottom of the hive when the board was in.
It was also the hive with the most varroa I've seen thus far ... probably no connection though.

 

[Swarm]

Just sounds like overkill to me.

 

[madasafish]

Our Association Apaiary does that. Easy to do with bare hands. Of course, if you use gloves, it's another thing you can't do easily

 

[MuswellMetro]

seems that on here there is little support for sealing up the floor/brood seam, so i am going to stay with the majority

 

[Black Comb]

No, no need to seal IMO if the board is a decent fit.
Our club hives have posh varroa boards with a lip on the back edge which, in effect, does the same job as the gaffer tape.

 

[madasafish]

Our Association hives are old and leak air...