Wasps and robbing bees both are drawn to the smell of the beehive coming from the entrance and will hang around there trying to get in. With a robbing screen in place, both insects can't figure out they are blocked by a screen and don't even try to go up and over. Since Robbing Screens are put on at night, the forager bees leave the hive in the morning, realize something is different. The bees will orient themselves in the morning and remember how to get back in. Mike made a few screens that needed to be screwed into the hive body. That was a disaster. Trying screw the screens on at night was a joke. Even with pilot holes, I was having a heck of a time trying to screw the robbing screens in, the hives were slipping off the screened bottom boards, bees were getting angry, I needed help just to attach them, it was not working. I ended up tying the screens onto the hive bodies with baling string. Not a pretty site.Then my very inventive hubby, tired of hearing me complaining, came up with a few straps of metal that he attached to the sides of the robbing screen. They have a little point on each side that grabs the wood and stays in place. Easy to put on and easy to take off.After several models, we came up with the one in the pictures. They are reversible with a closable entrance. One side has a wider opening. Once on, you can turn it either way. Wasps and robbing bees both are drawn to the smell of the beehive coming from the entrance and will hang around there trying to get in. With a robbing screen in place, both insects can't figure out they are blocked by a screen and don't even try to go up and over. Since Robbing Screens are put on at night, the forager bees leave the hive in the morning, realize something is different. The bees will orient themselves in the morning and remember how to get back in.
All Robbing Screens are weatherproofed and ready to go on your hives. Remember to put them on at night.Our 10-Frame Robbing Screens are made to fit Country Rubes Combo Screened Bottom Boards with or without an 8-Frame Adaptor. They will fit any 10-Frame bottom board with an open landing board, like ours below on the right.On Bottom Boards with a Closed Landing Board, below on the left, where the rails continue to the end of the landing board, you can make a rectangle or square piece of wood that would fit in the open space. And entrance reducer with a closed side works.
Confusing? Contact me if you have any questions. Janet at [email protected] or 530-913-2724Robbing Screens - 10 Frame - Use with Country Rubes Combo Screened Bottom Boards or with our 8-Frame Adaptors or any Bottom Board with an open landing where your hive body is even with the top rails.