Paul, you said: If you make the top cloth too solid with flour, or beeswax, the
hive can't "breathe" into the quilt box. So, don't make a perfect seal wirh
your chosen stiffener - make it thin and leave a few gaps.
This is useful to know, because my TBH bars are very tight and form a perfect
seal. The hive carries a lot of moisture. I had to remove some mouldy comb
recently and there is sometimes moisture dripping out the bottom. And a few
resident slugs. Perhaps I should remove a spacer or two and create a small gap
between the bars for ventilation, which the bees can propolise if they want to.
This way the pillow of shavings above the bars can take up the slack moisture
and hopefully provide some humidity regulation.
From: Oxnatbees<mailto:oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 09 July 2021 14:26
To: oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [oxnatbees] Re: Hungry bees
Yes, loose canvas etc. The only constraint is to be wary of things potentially
treated with insecticide. Some hessian sacks are treated thus, to preserve
foods stored inside them, so be careful if re-using those.
Paul
On Fri, 9 Jul 2021 at 14:04, mike pighills
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Thanks Brian and Paul; glad it is relativly normal.
I have replaced with a piece of calico for the time being, I assume anything
robust and breathable will work?
Best wishes
Mike
On Fri, 9 Jul 2021, 13:41 Oxnatbees,
<oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Really good photo, love the neat stripes.
Just to add to Brian's comment...
Some colonies nibble the hessian top cloth in Warre hives, more than others.
(Top cloths are not used in TBHs or Nationals.) The gnawing through the top
cloth isn't really a problem in itself, the problem comes from the fact that
they will probably continue to chew, up through the next layer - the one that
holds the insulation in the quilt box. The insulation then begins to fall into
the hive; the bees begin building comb in the quilt box, etc. Messy. So count
on replacing top cloths maybe once a year for nibblers, but they may last 3
years with some colonies.
The reccommended thing to do with a top cloth, in case you've got a bad case of
the nibblers, is to stiffen it with something non toxic like a thin flour and
water paste, or beeswax.
In practise, the original strictures on ingedients for the paste (wholemeal
flour etc) have been found to be unimportant. I use a thin paste of whatever
flour is around, with water and use my fingers to spread that on a top cloth,
then hang it on the washing line so it dries flat.
To apply beeswax, use a hairdryer and spread it thinly with a knife like butter
on toast!
BUT - very important - whichever method you use, it must not form a complete
seal. The hive must be able to 'breathe' through it.
Now about those stripes. They're propolis, on the underside of the top cloth.
Propolis has an interesting property - it is permeable to humidity. The quilt
box in a Warre acts not just as a heat insulatir, but a humidity buffer. If you
make the top cloth too solid with flour, or beeswax, the hive can't "breathe"
into the quilt box. So, don't make a perfect seal wirh your chosen stiffener -
make it thin and leave a few gaps.
Paul
On Fri, 9 Jul 2021, 12:56 Brian Fiddian,
<brian.fiddian@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:brian.fiddian@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Ours have done this too. Perhaps they are just having a look to see what’s
there?
They only seem to make one hole and then propolise it. I have put another piece
of hessian on top; this prevents the holed cloth from sticking to the quilt box.
Regards Brian
From: oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:oxnatbees-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> On
Behalf Of mike pighills (Redacted sender "mike.pighills" for DMARC)
Sent: 09 July 2021 10:17
To: oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:oxnatbees@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [oxnatbees] Hungry bees
Hi
Just doing a quick roof inspection on a Warre populated last year and found
that the bees are chewing through the top cloth, they seem to have plenty of
stores just wondering what causes this (or is it normal). any ideas?....
Best wishes
Mike
