UC Davis Robber Screen

[Ray Bayless]

Found a simple to build screen on line, put one together and giving a try. I'll let y'all know how well it works.

http://ucanr.org/sites/entomology/files/147611.pdf

[Intheswamp]

That is interesting, Ray, both for preventing robbing and getting into the mind(?) of the honey bee.  If what they say about the screen it will be a simple to build screen.  Thanks for posting it!

Ed

[tefer2]

I have built the UC Davis version but prefer the one iddee makes and uses. It is simple to make and doubles as a moving screen also. Maybe he can post the instructions on this forum too?

[Joe D]

Thanks Ray for the post.  I don't know what happened to one of my hives but the other hives started robbing and killed all bees in the hive being robbed and got their honey.  It had been one of my stronger hives.




  Joe

[tefer2]

Found it,  http://www.beekeepingforums.com/threads/5223-Robber-screen-moving-screen?highlight=robber+screen

[Ray Bayless]

Thanks for finding that other design tefer2. Always good to have more information and it doubles as a moving screen.
This UC Davis screen seems to work well. The bees hovering at the entrance decreased significantly. The bees from the hive figured out how to get back in after a while. I feel like it gave them am edge.

[jredburn]

I have put the UC Davis screen on all my 8 hives.  They really work. 

[edward]

Why not just reduce the hive entrance to one bee in height and to an appropriate size horizontally?

mvh edward 

[Ray Bayless]

I have put the UC Davis screen on all my 8 hives.  They really work. 

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know it helped out.

[Ray Bayless]

Why not just reduce the hive entrance to one bee in height and to an appropriate size horizontally?

mvh edward 

As I see it Edward, an entrance reducer does nothing to stop the fighting it only decreases the area a weak colony has to defend. This robbing screen allows the hive full access to the outside and eliminates fighting.