Can workers really get through #6 hardware cloth?

[David LaFerney]

I'm doing a trap out of a colony that is inside of a block wall and I'm trying to devise a way to catch the queen when she absconds.  Robo thinks (and I imagine that he's right) that the slimmed down queen will get through the excluders that I was planning to use.  Coincidentally I just got some number 6 hardware cloth to make screened bottom boards with, and according to the product description on Better Bee you can use it to make pollen traps as well.  Anyway,  it looks pretty small - noticeably smaller than my queen excluders, and I'm thinking that it might be more likely to catch the queen I'm after - if the workers will really go through it.   

Does anyone have any experience that workers can actually get through it?  The feral bees in the trap out look to be a little bit smaller than my regular Italians.

[BjornBee]

#6 means 6 holes per inch, taking into account the wire width. No, they will not go through it.

The screen I have for my pollen traps measures out at about 4.75 holes per inch. And that is tight. I could not imagine them getting though #6 screen.

[mherndon]

I've used #5 screen for a queen excluder in an observation hive.  Workers were able to go through it.  I use Pierco plastic foundation (4.9) I think.  #6 would be a tad smaller.  Not sure if larger cell size bees would be able to.  

Mark

[RayMarler]

I've used #6 hardware cloth wire. The workers go thru it, not the queens that I'm aware of. I used some as a SBB and the workers would go thru it instead of the front entrance. I had a layer of pollen on the ground under that hive. #6 is pollen trap sized wire.

[BjornBee]

I'll get some this morning and see myself.... ;)