ABOUT
When we began to get serious about bees, we soon were overrun by robbers. Not having experienced this problem before , we started watching videos and reading everything we could get our hands on. We first moved our hives all over the farm, to no avail. We ordered every type of robbing guard we could find. Nothing worked. We were loosing queens as fast as we could replace them. Thinking long and hard on the problem, I told my eleven year old son what I thought might work. He designed exactly what we needed. We installed them on our hives and the robbing stopped. Our colonies are thriving. They worked for us, they can work for you.
Bee Hacks EGS
Attach the robbing guard left and right sections to the front of your bottom deep with the included screws. ( only one piece for the 5 frame.) Whenever the weather warms, place the entrance tubes into the openings on the front of the guard. Be patient. While it usually only takes a few hours for your bees to learn to navigate the tubes, they occasionally may take a little longer to become familiar with the new openings. If by evening they haven’t gotten it figured out, remove the tubes allowing them to move inside and then reinsert the tubes. Some users prefer to shorten the tubes to speed up the process.
The robbing guards are designed to have a very snug fit. If by chance yours seems to be too long, simply use sandpaper on a flat surface and remove a small amount of material from one of the inside edges.
While the guards can be installed at any time, we recommend attaching the guard during daylight hours and inserting the tubes after dark.
The guards confuse the robbers and make it difficult for them to find the entrance. If by chance they do discover it, they are very hesitant to try to enter the hive for fear of being trapped inside the tube. With the tubes in place, it makes it possible for even a small number of bees to defend their home.
Your robbing guard will also make it nearly impossible for small hive beetles to gain entrance. First, make sure you destroy any beetles already in your hive. Then close off any other points of entry.
If necessary, cover bee escapes with screen wire.
When moving your hives, insert the two included plugs to prevent escape. These are designed to fit very tightly and may require pliers to remove.
When cold weather arrives, snap the winter covers in place to reduce ventilation. Remove both tubes and plug one of the entrance holes. Removing the tubes will make it easier for the workers to remove dead bees. If the tubes are left in place during cold weather, bee activity becomes slower, so they must be inspected periodically to ensure they don’t become clogged with dead bees.
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