TBH Inspection Tip: The "Bee-Down Strip"

**Peaches** · 07-19-2011, 08:43 PM

I know the mechanics of the TBH, but I wonder if the top bars could be spaced like the Langs with the side bars. The bees would have a way to get back down between the top bars. Would that work or do the TB have to be shoulder to shoulder?

**Michael Bush** · 07-20-2011, 01:18 AM

If they aren't "shoulder to shoulder" then you have the problem of them getting squished on TOP of the bars unless you add some space above. It just get's more complicated... plus many people have a TBH because less bees are exposed and less bees get in the air which they find less intimidating.

**Peaches** · 07-20-2011, 02:06 PM

Thanks Michael. It makes sense to me.

**Montana Bee** · 07-25-2011, 08:34 AM

In an earlier post someone said "How about a puff or three of smoke". I am a new beek and have two TBH's and I struggled with the problem of squishing bees when putting top bars back together. I resorted to using smoke which I hated to do because my bees are very gentle. I have gotten to the point that I do not use smoke anymore so this "Bee-down strip" is a perfect solution to the problem. I also dust my hands with baby powder before working with the bees and I have not been stung. I'm not sure why it works but the girls seem to stay off my hands. One exception to this rule is if I have to reach into the hive to remove a piece of honeycomb that fell off the top bar. The girls have a limit to their patience when it comes to taking away their honey!

**DeeAnna** · 07-25-2011, 10:10 AM

I have two tools in my bucket for reaching deep into a hive especially if room is tight or the bees have had enough of me. One is a cake decorator's spatula with an offset handle. This also works well to cut comb attachments on the sides of the hive. The other is a restaurant tongs stolen from my kitchen. Get both of 'em as long as you can find.

Tongs: http://tinyurl.com/3v8ynnx
Spatula: http://tinyurl.com/3f9q7o5

**Michael Bush** · 07-25-2011, 08:46 PM

>The girls have a limit to their patience when it comes to taking away their honey!

I think it's just that hand in side the hive. They don't tolerate ants, wax moths and cockroaches and your hand is much larger. I don't think they think in terms of you taking their honey, just something foreign moving through the hive.

**Jim Given** · 04-24-2012, 11:55 AM

Bump....this helped me greatly.

Jim

**b haley** · 04-24-2012, 07:22 PM

I have been living in the stone age with sticks and long grass to this point. A "bee-down strip" is just what I need

. I also like the feather idea.

**PatBeek** · 04-25-2012, 06:28 AM

First off, I think this is a great idea. My only concern - and I'm sure you all can reassure me - is that when you pull the bee-down strip back up, how do you know legs, etc, aren't hanging on to it and get crushed between the strip and the top bar? I suppose it's just done slowly and carefully and it's not a tight enough space to trap a leg?