Howdy folks, I'll be installing my first packages from hardeman's next week or the week after depending on their weather for shipping. I'll be using pail feeders on top of the inner cover with an empty hive body covering it. I've seen the videos of installing and of course bees are every where. My question is how to keep the bees out of the upper hive body before I put on the outer cover? I've seen where some folks put sticks under a feeder over the inner cover but the supplier I purchased from said not to do that just sit it directly over the hole on the inner cover. I would also think they may try to build wild comb in the upper empty hive body if they have access to it. Am I just going to have to deal with a few killed bees everytime I change the syrup out? as I see no way to keep them from landing in the upper hive body every time I pull the outer cover off. Any advice is appreciated. Thank's, Brad
You can put shims under the pail. I was told to put crumpled up newspaper around the pail to fill the space so they wouldn't build wild comb. This seemed to work for me. I have also not put the paper in, but this was after they had nice comb built below.
I enlarge the hole in the inner cover than cover it with # 8 wire cloth.
Until you can find # 8 wire [ its hard to come by ] go to Wally-World,
being from Ar. I sure you have heard of them, ;) go to the hobby, sewing
dept., they have 1 sq. ft. of a semi-hard plastic, # 7 I think, { screen } that women use with a needle & yarn to make things.
{ If you use this plastic, enlarge the hole no more than the diameter of the jar lid}
Works good, the bees will not be flying around when you change feeder jars,
of course bees will proplois it in time but its cheap !
Good Luck
Bee-Bop