I live in SE QLD and we made our own hive with a screened beetle trap. It covers the entire bottom of the Langdorth 10 frame brood box. We got the screen from Bunnings/laundry section. Holes are 4mm wide and 3 mm high. Below the screen we made a metal tray the same size that we fill with oil. The tray slides out to inspect and refill. I have had this system for 5 months now and it works perfectly. I never see beetles when I inspect my hive but my bottom tray always seems to have about 30 a week. Since having my flow frames however I have noticed (only once) a beetle from my viewing window and watched a bee pull it out and roll down with it. So hopefully they dumped it to the bottom.
2 Likes
Hi Amelia, as long as you have plenty of worker bees chasing the beetle, youâll be fine. They will chase them until they find somewhere to hide, then the bees will propolize them in. This is whatâs happening with my bees & Iâm not far from you.
Found this on my digital travels: http://www.qualitybeekeepingsupplies.com.au/index.php/news/10-small-hive-beetle
Good âone-pagerâ as a reminder for the pros or info for NewBeeeeeees
Cheers all.
2 Likes
Cedar heard somewhere you can use an old picnic rug, turn it upside down so the fluffy side is up and staple it to your cor flute bottom board.
Iâve been trialling this for a few days and getting lots of trapped beetles, see below:
The beetles tend to get caught up and almost spin a web for themselves. I found it worked better if I stapled the mat to the cor flute otherwise the bees try to pull it up through the the bottom mesh and out of them hive. Best to put it in the bottom slot, and cover the back gap using some tape or a small piece of timber
Early days yet and I hope to get a oil trap going soon as well.
Yari
7 Likes
Great idea there Yari,
I am in the process of working on my mods right now. Another idea Iâll put up for discussion is my intention to insert a thin aluminium strip on the inside of the frame rebate at the other end of the Flow Super (above the bee access end).
As the cedar is a particularly soft timber I was thinking that (even if left in place longer than standard frames) the âtensioning screwâ on the flow frames, designed to keep the Flow Frames tight against the harvesting end of the super, would push into the timber and groove up the frame slot when removed.
In order for the screw to keep doing the job it would have to be extended, and extended etc. etc increasing the damage to the frame rebate.
The inclusion of the strip would negate the damage to the super AND give a better interface for the Flow Frame tensioning screw to push against - actually keeping the Flow Frames tight against the harvesting end.
I know, I knowâŚphotos are coming. grin
Whaddayouallreckon?
1 Like
Hi Dragonfly. This may not be the kind of strip you are talking about but I read that British beekeepers fix a folded metal cleat along the edge of the lip that supports the frames. Iâm in the process of attaching my version of these cleats to some new 8 frame Langstroth deeps.
The cleats stick up 2mm above the rebates so frames rest on the edges of metal cleats rather than directly onto the soft timber of the bee box itself
Thatâs a good job. Our British Nationals come with metal runners for that very purpose.
Make sure you havenât compromised the bee space or the bees will glue the frames to the sides.
Ok you poor buggers - here come some photosâŚ
@sciencemaster: not quite but very gosh darn close, observe:
The Flow Frames come with an adjustment screw:
I have made a teeny tiny rebate of my own and put in a 2mm aluminium strip:
This strip becomes a more robust âHead Boardâ for the now adjusted Flow Frame tensioning screw, thus:
Not so tight as to deform the box, but slotted in to prevent forward/back movement. The strip wonât dent and damage like the soft cedar will AND, as an added bonus, the Flow Frame screw is retained deeper in the plastic = stronger.
7 Likes
@sciencemaster Is this what you mean Frame runners that go at right angles from under the frames in an L shape to protect the rabbit?? The metal Strips - I have these it protects the wood on the rabbit (rebate)
2 Likes
Rabbet, itâs ârabbetâ ; -)
This is a nice refinement. I like the narrow gap holders you have placed in the corners of the box to keep the outside beespace consistent!
1 Like
Yes Valli. Thanks for the pic. I donât have access to folded metal ones but I want to reinforce the rebate. The galvanised strapping I use is actually designed for bracing buildings. Itâs inexpensive and easily available. There are probably Beekeeping suppliers in Oz who have the proper gear. Now I know they are called âFrame Runnersâ I may be able to track down a local supplier. Thanks again for helping this novice.
@sciencemaster ll you need is a strip of aluminium and bend it in an L shape - I think 10 cost me ÂŁ2.22 for 10 worst comes to worst I could post you some.
@sara wasnât sure how to spell it In the State the sound like they are saying Rabbit - always makes me laugh
US Americans use ârabbetâ where we use the word ârebateâ. Something to do with their accent I think. Thanks for offering to send some of the reinforcing strips but I will probably be able to source them in Brisbane. Do you find the aluminium a bit soft when levering against it with the hive tool?
No the wood behind it gives stability and the compliment each other. Mine are nailed in
Thanks Valli. I compliment you on your generosity in sharing your knowledge. Iâm trying and failing to keep the teacher in his box. My scientific skills and my teaching skills complement each other.
1 Like
I know what that is like my Chef skill, cooking skill and computer skills have all come together nicely presently - adding bee keeping and Iâve launched a new little business selling products made from bees wax to keep me out of mischief while spring is coming around the corner (but not fast enough)
Nice transference of skills 
and my inner teacher is sitting back watching - I gave up teaching, got fed up of people raising little so-and-soâs. I taught Computing and Cooking
1 Like
Still reads like they are saying Rabbit LOL
1 Like
Gâday Bob, I just want to let you know that the metal strips are not really necessary. Iâve got hoop pine boxes without them, after over 25 years, theyâre still fine. The only thing you need to be careful of is when you scrape propolis off the rebate with, for example a chisel.
You never put any undue pressure on the rebate during normal hive practices.
1 Like
Jeff,
The flow frames have an adjustable screw that the regular wood frame doesnât have. When you have two like materials, wood on wood for instance, under most circumstances they will wear evenly and it is not an issue. In the case where one material is significantly denser than the other, as in this case with the cedar and the metal screw, you are looking at a situation that could easily lead to wear in the softer material, i.e. the wood.
Looking down the road, and given that the frames for the flows must be specially adapted anyway, installing the protective metal strip seems a very reasonable precaution to take to ensure long life of the investment.
This is a new product, and it is to be hoped that by sharing ideas such as this we can all be successful with implementing the flowframes.
Since you yourself are not going to get any flow frames of your own it might be better to not dismiss ideas that are specifically being considered to accommodate the needs of the flows.
2 Likes