covering the frames during inspection

[tillie]

I was looking up Michael's post about the Golden Bee suit and noticed in a picture that he linked showing the beesuit that in his inspection, he has the frames of the hive partially covered with a cloth during the inspection.  (http://www.bushfarms.com/images/TwoByFourNuc2.jpg)

--Do others use this method of inspection?
--Michael, if you read this, is the square cloth you use one of your own inventions?  It looks as if it is a little stiffer, let's say, than a sheet - maybe it's plastic - or does it have some kind of edge to it?

Linda T in Atlanta

[kgbenson]

I am not Michael, but there are a number of commercial cloth coverings available.  The one in the picture you cite apepars to be a cloth inner cover, but I can't be sure.  Having said that, manipulation cloths can be very handy - especially if you are manipulating them on a less than ideal day:

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/products.asp?pcode=768
http://www.beeworks.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=3

The brushy mountain one is interesting.  If you grab the inner frame od the gap and flip it, you close the hive, flip it the other way and it is open again. 

Keith

[Michael Bush]

>--Michael, if you read this, is the square cloth you use one of your own inventions?

No.  It's a cloth inner cover.  In England they still call a wooden inner cover a "quilt board" because at one time everyone used these for inner covers.  The hive I'm inspecting at the time is a two by four mating nuc (four two frame nucs in one ten frame box) and there are two cloths stapled in the middle of a divider so that I can inspect each nuc without the bees spilling over into the next nuc and balling the queen.

>  It looks as if it is a little stiffer, let's say, than a sheet

It's canvas covered in propolis.  :)

>- maybe it's plastic - or does it have some kind of edge to it?

Its not hemmed or anything.  I bought the canvas.  Some other people use those plastic "burlap" feed sacks for this purpose, as they are free and don't get glued down quite as much.  One could also use them on a full size hive, but the purpose there would be to cut down on condensation on the bees.

[Cindi]

Linda, I use this piece of cloth ever since I began beekeeping.  I read about it in an old book written long ago.  This piece of material was called a "draw quilt", like Michael was saying.

I constructed a very nice one.  It is slightly wider than the hive, and slightly longer than the hive.  it is made of canvas.  I have on each end of this piece of canvas a piece of stainless steel round bar that I have sewed into the fabric.  this allows for weight so the canvas can be rolled up easily for storage or moving along to the next hive.

When I remove the inner cover, I immediately place the draw quilt upon the colony.  I leave it there for about 10 seconds and then I roll, fold or whatever I need to do, the cloth along as I work each frame.  Many times I will move it along several frames at a time, depends on what I am up to. 

I think it keeps the bees more calm, their home is not exposed to the elements, nor light, keeps the heat in the broodnest (nor can yellowjackets sneak in!!!).  I have seen yellowjackets try and sneak into the hive when I have even a couple of frames exposed, but I can easily catch them and squish them before they get in.  I get pleasure of squishing these buggers.

This year I have constructed an even better one.  It is a pretty, patterned, old cotton sheet that I have made several layers thick and looks like a baby's blanket (the size of the box).  I sewed it so that it had segments, like a quilt.   No reason for this, other than it just looks kind of pretty and it is pleasing to my eye.  The old canvas one got rather ugly looking and I had time on my hands for sewing this past winter.

This is what I use to keep my girls' home free from the worries of their house top ripped off.  It seems to work, my bees were pretty calm last year.  Best of this beautiful day.  Cindi

[tillie]

One of the members of my bee club uses a white sheet regularly because she doesn't use smoke and wants to keep the bees calm by covering the opened hive.  She says she never needs smoke now that she is not intruding in the hive as much.

How about a picture of your draw quilt, Cindi?

As a quilter as well as a beekeeper, I am thrilled to think about a way to overlap those interests....

Linda T

**so far all I've done is make potholders that have bees on them!  (http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2006/09/beekeepers-picnic.html)

[Cindi]

Linda, I will do some pictures later on today and post the draw quilt.  You will like it, like I said, it is pretty and I bet the bees will enjoy the soft fabric when I lay it over their frames. 

When I am removing honey frames in the apiary to put into the extra box that I use to put these honey frames into, I use something similar to this "draw quilt" to  cover the box that I put the honey frames into.  It is simple to use, I have a single layer sheet about 3 times the size of the box.  When I put a honey frame into the extra box, I lift up the sheet and put the honey frame in, then the sheet goes right back over, not a single bee can sneak in because the sheet is light and it drapes beautifully over the sides of the box.  Fabric is so gentle for bees that it never causes any harm, nor does it ever annoy them. 

Have a beautiful day.  We had 2 inches of snow last night and this has brought a different part of scenery to my life.  Oh brother!!!!  The strange weather of this year.  Cindi

[tillie]

I use a regular bed sheet to set an empty super on and then to cover the empty super when I am getting frames of honey to harvest.  I shake the bees off of it in front of their hive and move the frame to the empty super covered with a sheet - when I carry it inside, I pick it up and with sheet underneath as well as covering the super, the frames transport bee-less to my kitchen for harvesting.   I've tried that but not the draw quilt.

Linda T

[Cindi]

Linda, when doing the honey frame gathering, I do just about the same thing.  I have never been able to shake all the bees off, so I brush briskly and then it is clear of the girls.  I always have the empty box set inside of an outer cover that is turned upside down, that way if any honey spills it is caught inside the lid and it makes it pretty easy for transport.  I actually always have the lid and the empty box inside my wheelbarrow when I take honey frames from the bees, that way I can just push the wheelbarrow to the house.  It can have 2 boxes deep and it sure makes for an easy push, as I use Langstroth deeps for everything, even the honey supers.  I like the idea of one size for all, and I still can lift boxes of bees.  Certainly I cannot lift a box of honey, but that is the job of the wheelbarrow.  Works for me.

I will post two pictures, my draw quilts.  I have not yet put in the metal bar on the end of these, but will be doing so PDQ.  The stainless steel bars on each end are good to hold the fabric down in case of wind that may blow it up and makes it easy to roll or fold this quilt as you move along the frames.  I make a seam on each end that the bar fits into and then I sew those ends up so that the bar does not slip out, but the seams can be undone, should I care to wash the quilt.  The picture shows the quilts draped upon an empty nuc that I brought into the house.  I have put honey frames into the nuc so they are warm in case I need to feed the bees some frames of honey.  I am taking the nuc to the greenhouse to store there in waiting, it is very warm in that house.

When I made the quilt, it is three fabric thickness, I sew a few seams across the fabric to keep the fabric from separating and it makes a nice strong quilt.  I don't know if you will be able to see the sewing across the fabric, but I do it in a wavy seam, for aesthetical reasons only.  Enjoy the pictures.  Best of this beautiful day.  Cindi