Joined
·
1,530 Posts
I make my own traps and use #8 wire for just this reason. The #6 seems to be too big for my bees and I wind up with bees in the oil. And here I thought it was just my bees that this happens to!
HTH
Rusty
HTH
Rusty
Freeman SHB trap
2600
9
Ok I have 2 new hives. Both have FSBT on them... I installed my bees Monday.... today I pulled out the oil tray just to look and there layed 20 or 30 dead bees...... I don't see any possible way they could have go in there..... Anyone have a guess?
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
I've got 6 of them. They all kill a few bees every now and then, but if you make sure there are no bees on the underside of the SBB
and you make sure the tray is pushed TIGHT againest the front of the hive, it will rarely catch bees. Another hint, I've found that they work just as well with about half the oil. I fill them with enough that there is oil in every trough, but not enough oil to cover the troughs. This allows you more space if it rains and water starts to fill the tray. It's also much easier to remove the tray when it's half full. It's still pretty cool for SHB, I haven't filled mine with oil yet, I usually wait till I see the first one. I've tried soapy water, not very effective againest SHB. They simply crawl out, they also crawl out with oil on them but it kills them anyway, but soapy water will kill a ton of ants and roaches.
Another thing I do is pull one, clean it and fill it get it ready to install, pull the next and replace it with the clean one instantly. That way bees don't have time to get on bottom side of the SBB. The only one I have to be carefull about is the first one as it was out the entire time I was cleaning the other traps.
Joined
·
56 Posts
What do your traps look like? I'd like to build my own rather than buy them.
Joined
·
156 Posts
Joined
·
171 Posts
This is the one I have. I enclosed the pan so the bees can't get underneath. I had more bees getting in before I did. Now almost none. I never see loose shb any more since I put it it. Plenty of dead ones.
Gene
Joined
·
237 Posts
What size screen is the Freeman's thought I read its #8 size .
Joined
·
11,810 Posts
> What size screen is the Freeman's thought I read its #8 size .
If you are going to make your own trap, #8 screen/hardware cloth is your only real choice. #7 is a better choice in theory, but it is impossible to find #7 hardware cloth at an affordable price.
Hardware cloth with smaller numbers (bigger holes) than #7 will allow bees to pass.
If you are going to make your own trap, #8 screen/hardware cloth is your only real choice. #7 is a better choice in theory, but it is impossible to find #7 hardware cloth at an affordable price.
Hardware cloth with smaller numbers (bigger holes) than #7 will allow bees to pass.
Joined
·
237 Posts
Ya I know #7 is ideal but not buy able . I can get #8 local for cheap. I'm remod'n my screened brushy mountain's so they don't have a ledge and has a oil tray .
So what size is the freeman screen ??
1 - 10 of 10 Posts
