Mr. Willard. I don’t know if there’s any way to contact you directly but I would love for you to do some research on the impact of red light on SHB. There’s a company selling red plastic covers that filter the light and they claim to have had success but I worry about the effect of plastic covers on hive temperature and the durability of plastic covers in Fl due to UVB degradation. Wouldn’t red leds work better if red light does repel SHB?
I'm like everyone else, always looking for that "better mouse trap" idea, unfortunately you just described the problem's with these red Lexan polycarbonate tops, they allow red sunlight in but in essence you end up with a red green house effect and no way to vent the heat, plus the UV damage to the plastic. Also bees like a darker area for their hive so with the upper part of the hive exposed to high heat and sunlight it will drive the bees towards the cooler and darker bottom along with SHB's, it doesn't get rid of the SHB it just moves them around. Now you hit on something I gave a friend in Australia an idea to work with, by placing 12vdc red led strips or tube lights on the upper part of a screened top cover so the bees can't get at them, next run that to a small sealed battery which is being recharged daily by a small solar panel. These led's draw so little voltage that a small battery would be sufficient, Aliexpress has these red led lights really cheap. www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20191125125351&SearchText=red+led+strip Good luck and thanks for offer.
Hi Daniel, They held up much better but the housekeeping bees are working on the Neverwet coating 24-7. I think it would be best to plan to recoat each year before the SHB really start to move around. Have a pair made for each hive then you'll have one ready for the spring time and just recoat the spare for the following year.
Is there a product that you recommend to use in lieu of the Neverwet for non stick coating? I am have been in touch with the tech rep from Rustoleum. It appears this product is discontinued, and there is no comparable substitute.
You could always use the Neverwet spray can kits or check out if there are other hydrophobic coating that are non-toxic on the web I found this one link but I don't know anything about the company, good luck. www.neicorporation.com/products/coatings/superhydrophobic-coating/
A hydrophobic surface is not slippery, under a microscope it consists of high and low points. That is why it works on a SHB tarsal pads(feet) they can not grip the high points. The best solution is to remove and refinish the 2.0 Beetle Barriers as need.
I am not familiar with the Apimaye hive but from the pictures I saw it appears that you could adapt the Beetle Barrier that is mounted on the wooden frame to work with that style hive bottom. I hope it works for you.
How are things going now that you are 3 months in? A few questions/ideas: 1. Do you still think you need to use the industrial never wet or will the spray on work with the new method? 2. Instead of bending the wire to protect the never wet, what if you just put a wood shim in there the same width as the aluminum coated strip but left a small gap, which is too small for the bees to get into, but not for the hive beetles? This should fully protect the never wet and the hive beetles would get chased into the small gap and not be able to climb out into the hive. I am thinking of trying this with the cheaper spray on stuff, but wanted your opinion.
Hi Jeff, The mesh ramp really helps to keep the forager bees off the Neverwet coated barriers, so you might be able to use the spray can material. However you adapt these coated barriers to your hives you always have to keep in mind how far the SHB can stretch out to bridge a gap. In the first video test when I used live beetles I was shocked to see that beetle anchor its feet on the wood and reach out for the edge of the coated barrier, if that barrier was only a 1/4" wide instead of 3/8" that SHB would have been able to grip the edge and escape. I'll be taking the 2.0 Beetle Barriers off to check the condition of the Neverwet and let everyone know with a short video. If your idea works make sure you share it on You-Tube, Beemaster or Beesource.
Hi Jeff. Was wondering if you tried applying the never wet to pre-finished aluminum fascia material instead of using bare aluminum flashing that needs etched?
Hi Reggie, I had thought of using that material, which would work but it has drawbacks; it is a thicker material, low tensile strength (soft aluminum) high cost per roll and limited widths available. With aluminum flashing it is high tensile strength (ridged), very thin, multiple widths available and low cost per roll. If you can get a surplus roll or scrap pieces from an siding installer it would be worth trying because the surface is already treated and painted which will increase the adhesion of the Neverwet and you wouldn't have to prep it like you do the flashing to increase adhesion (see prior videos), give it a try and let us know...
Will do! I do have one more question...I like to notch the front edge of my inner cover and push the telescoping cover all the way forward for a secondary entrance to offer foraging bees a shortcut to supers. Is it likely all the beetles that were deterred by the neverwet would just find their way to that entrance if I leave it unscreened or just a few of them? I know you show instructions to screen top off completely but wondered if you tested both ways or not? Thanks for the info and all your research!
I can't even begin to count how many times I have removed my telescoping tops and have seen small hive beetles crawling on the aluminum window screen of the inner vent covers. I've shown people in several of my videos on how to make the SHB proof vented inner covers. The SHB will crawl all over your hive looking for a place to get in and they can easily go through 1/8" hardware cloth, so yes if there is another opening in your hive the SHB will find it no matter where it is.
Hey Jeff it’s me again. I’m curious if when you made it you used the clear neverwet and if that’s important? I used the white because it was cheaper and it had kind of a powdery layer that came off. I put some ants in it to test it out and they can crawl right over it. Could be the humidity potentially here not sure.
Hi Tripp, The same thing happened to me on a hot and humid day, just like any paint the Neverwet is also affected by the humidity, I do mine in an air-conditioned area. Thanks for watching and the comment..
Are you still keeping bees? I’m wanting to start and your hive Beatle barrier looks like it could save me some heart ache. I going to use your research and apply it to a Layens hive. Thanks so much for your hard work.
Darryl this is so funny I just replied to your last comment a second ago. Please watch all the videos on the Beetle Barriers because they have evolved in both design and treatment of the aluminum flashing. I'm sure you'll be able to the information in your beekeeping adventures.
Just started researching how to prevent SHB vs trapping them and found your videos - fantastic job and impressive dedication to improving/researching. My question is would it be just as useful to simply tip up the bottom brood box and staple the aluminum strips to the box itself and set it back down onto the SBB? No 3/4" shim setup? FYI - I'm using the BEESMART screen bottom which is plastic....wonder if I painted it with NeverWet if the SHBs would not be able to climb up the sides from the screen? Thanks
Hi Champy, You just described my first design and also my first video. I found that with all the forager bees climbing over the Neverwet coated barrier they became contaminated with dirt, wax and propolis. That led to all the update videos from proper Neverwet adhesion on the aluminum flashing to the new mesh ramp design. I think if you watch all the videos from the beginning to the last one of "Inside the Hive" you see the design changes and get an idea of what I did to over come the problems in the original design. Coating the bottom board or sides will have little to no effect in keeping the SHB out of the hive, you just need that protruding barrier inside the hive. Happy Beekeeping....
You just introduced new terminology... Etched and Sanded. Can you explain? How do you etch? What grit do you sand? Is this something we would discover how to do based on instructions with the product? After a season in the field, which one do you think works better (Etched, Etched and Sanded, or Sanded)?
Hi Mike, Etched means to chemically treat a metal surface to condition or roughen before refinishing, I used 150 grit. These barriers were installed on existing hives and have been on for over 2 weeks. The final results for which refinishing system will work the best is still unknown but at this point they all looked good. Future Inside the Hive episodes will determine the best way to refinish the aluminum. The link below will help you understand what I did in case you missed it. ruclips.net/video/gXU2EAT2lek/видео.html
Does it appear to you that the bees are still trying to clear the surface coating from the aluminium? Have you tried having the barrier under the steel mesh, preventing the beetles from coming back through once chased down? Or is this inadequate for control of the shb? I'm asking as I want to incorporate the strips into my new hive. I like your idea of mounting the strips on a separate frame, and think I'd just switch these out for repainting every couple of years. Thanks for sharing the techniques and trying to improve the design.
Hi grubbyamy, The bees are constantly cleaning the inside of their hive including the Neverwet coated barriers . I had thought of bending the mesh (1/8" hardware cloth) back over the Neverwet coated barriers to protect them but you would still need a 3/16" - 1/4" gap at the edge so the hive beetles aren't able to crawl up onto the mesh and enter the hive or fall onto to the mesh while trying to crawl onto the coated barriers. If the Neverwet coated barriers needed refinishing you would have to bend back the mesh and then space the gap all over again, unfortunately there is no perfect solution to protecting the Neverwet coating but I think this idea comes pretty close to it. Good luck with your bees and thanks for Subscribing....
Since SMB are 5.7mm long and the honey bee is 15mm long, why not just put a 7-8mm (adjusted for the SMB leg length) metal strip coated with Neverwet around the bottom of the lowest brood box? This way the beetles cant cross the metal strip, but the honey bees are long enough to grab onto the box above the strip without impeding their travels?
Hello Eric, I appreciate the idea but you may want to watch all the videos I have on this idea, it has been improving since original video in 2015, with one more to go.... Go onto my channel to watch them all.
Haven't started beekeeping yet--I'm still in the information gathering/learning phase--but I found your name from a comment made in the lecture video given by James Ellis at the 2014 National Honey Show. How did you stumble across the Neverwet to begin with?
Hi Bret, Like everybody in beekeeping the SHB was a problem in my hives and I got sick and tired of them. That is when I started searching for a coating that was non-toxic and food safe which could be used inside a beehive, I spent hours upon hours researching different coatings and testing them before I found Neverwet. The Neverwet coated beetle barriers have been improved through the years with the last videos showing the improvements done and which other beekeepers can use. Good luck in your beekeeping adventure.
Jeff, great videos and thanks for spending the time to post them. Seems like the SHB are worse this year. I have a question about the never wet. I would like to try it for an ant barrier. Do you think I could apply it to aluminum AC tape? In my bee yards I use custom stands made of aluminum with a single post design so I'll try it on the stands as well.
Hi evanfly, Thank You. Single post aluminum sounds like a strong and attractive hive stand. How about if you mask off a 4" to 6" section off the post towards the top of the stand and spray Neverwet directly on the post. If you spray the aluminum tape and put it on the post the flexing of the tape may loosen the adhesion of the Neverwet. Did tou Tig or Mig weld the stands to assemble them and was it square or round stock, I'm curious because I like to see creative ideas... Here is the ant barrier video. ruclips.net/video/FeKmeV0NzMc/видео.html
Actually the tape idea was for other applications where I don't use the aluminum stands, ie some top bar hives etc. I will eventually have the alum stands on all my hives but we do mig weld them and it takes some time. Currently I weld alum cooking pots onto the 3x3 square posts that I fill with mineral oil to keep the ants at bay. I use the pot lid to keep the bees from getting to the oil. They are 3x3 square posts, and they are quite solid. THey work best for me here in FL because they are also hurricane proof. I had many hives strapped to them for Irma and they had no problem. How can I PM you, I can send a picture of the stand. I think I will try the neverwet on a section of the post and see how that works.
Sounds good, send them to r_willard@bellsouth.net I live in Milton FL. near Pensacola so I know what beekeepers have to go through in Hurricanes and its not fun....
Awesome!!! Jeff congratulations!! You just might have it!! Very exciting!! Let us know!! And if this holds up, there shouldn't be any more need for the screen bottom board as far as the beetle is concerned? Thanks, Phillip Hall
Also, The scope camera that you have is awesome!! I love the clarity and zoom as well! Would you mind telling me what make and model it is? Again thanks, Phillip Hall
Hi Phillip, Thank you, I'll be doing another soon. I will always be a big believer in the screened bottom board, it keeps the hive cooler and cleaner especially in removing Varroa from the hive. With a solid bottom board if a Varroa Mite falls off a bee or comb and lands on the solid bottom board it just waits for another bee victim to come along which it climbs onto making its way back into the hive.
Question, when you sprayed your strips were they smooth or rough looking when they dried? Mine are kinda rough looking. Thanks for your videos, love em!
Hi Larry, That is what the 2nd stage looks like, it confuses a lot of people because they think it should be super smooth. If you looked at the surface under a electron microscope you would see a surface of sharp peaks and valleys that is why the SHB tarsal pads (their feet) can't grip the surface. Thanks for the compliment, I have more videos coming on things that will help beekeepers.
@@jeffwillard2417 Thanks Jeff! Another question, when I picked up my strips I had powder like film come off on my hands. Is this normal? Did you wipe them off before you installed them? Thanks again!
I have noticed that on mine also at times when it was a hot humid day spraying, I now spray mine inside a air conditioned area for a drier environment. You could of also had some overspray residue but I never wiped any of my coated strips off before installation. The biggest problem that I found was the adhesion of the first stage on the flashing, which I experimented with and covered in the prior videos. Good luck with your bees..
@@jeffwillard2417 Well I tried it your way and guess what,,,,, IT WORKS! So far this season when I checked my hives (only have two) I have only seen 3 beetles! They are all trapped in the bottom! I am going to continue checking and if all goes well I'll pass this method along to the bee keepers association we belong to. Thanks again!
Honey bees are amazing creatures and the more you learn about them the more impressive they become.. Plus I had nothing to do with the signs they made :) :)
Hello Southeastern, Several years ago I caught a swarm about 5 miles from where I live and it turned out to be the calmest and best honey producing hive I in my Apiary. I have been grafting from that queen for re-queening and making Nuc's, I still have a few pissy hives that will be dealt with next Spring by re-queening, their days are numbered. When I re-queen a hive I will remove every drone cell and drone in the hive to remove that hives aggressive DNA, chasing live drones down to kill on frames with tweezers is time consuming and somewhat crazy but it works. How's your Nuc's doing.....
Have confirmation of three queens so far successful breeding. . Lost one of the queens, she had been stung just wasn't dead yet and have a few boxes where I can't find the queen at all. Had 3 days of solid rain right when they where slated to start mating so they're behind a tad.
Loved the camera work. Getting in there eye level how cool. Thanks for sharing. Wow you have a lot of bees!
Thanks, I think sometimes in the hot Summer months I have to many bees...
Thank you
Jeff, thanks sharing your projects. They are extremely informative...
Hi John,
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed them. I do these videos for you and other beekeepers around the world who are battling the Small Hive Beetle.
Thanks
Mr. Willard. I don’t know if there’s any way to contact you directly but I would love for you to do some research on the impact of red light on SHB. There’s a company selling red plastic covers that filter the light and they claim to have had success but I worry about the effect of plastic covers on hive temperature and the durability of plastic covers in Fl due to UVB degradation. Wouldn’t red leds work better if red light does repel SHB?
I'm like everyone else, always looking for that "better mouse trap" idea, unfortunately you just described the problem's with these red Lexan polycarbonate tops, they allow red sunlight in but in essence you end up with a red green house effect and no way to vent the heat, plus the UV damage to the plastic. Also bees like a darker area for their hive so with the upper part of the hive exposed to high heat and sunlight it will drive the bees towards the cooler and darker bottom along with SHB's, it doesn't get rid of the SHB it just moves them around.
Now you hit on something I gave a friend in Australia an idea to work with, by placing 12vdc red led strips or tube lights on the upper part of a screened top cover so the bees can't get at them, next run that to a small sealed battery which is being recharged daily by a small solar panel. These led's draw so little voltage that a small battery would be sufficient, Aliexpress has these red led lights really cheap.
www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20191125125351&SearchText=red+led+strip
Good luck and thanks for offer.
Jeff Willard thanks for your reply and looking forward to your future videos! We miss ya!
how well did they hold up after 18 months?
Hi Daniel,
They held up much better but the housekeeping bees are working on the Neverwet coating 24-7. I think it would be best to plan to recoat each year before the SHB really start to move around. Have a pair made for each hive then you'll have one ready for the spring time and just recoat the spare for the following year.
That's awesome. 👍
Hi Eric,
I liked the results also.....
Is there a product that you recommend to use in lieu of the Neverwet for non stick coating? I am have been in touch with the tech rep from Rustoleum. It appears this product is discontinued, and there is no comparable substitute.
You could always use the Neverwet spray can kits or check out if there are other hydrophobic coating that are non-toxic on the web I found this one link but I don't know anything about the company, good luck. www.neicorporation.com/products/coatings/superhydrophobic-coating/
Do you think a wipe down once or twice a year with alcohol or some and water will be enough to keep the aluminum fresh and slippery?
A hydrophobic surface is not slippery, under a microscope it consists of high and low points. That is why it works on a SHB tarsal pads(feet) they can not grip the high points. The best solution is to remove and refinish the 2.0 Beetle Barriers as need.
Would this be compatible with an Apimaye hive bottom?
I am not familiar with the Apimaye hive but from the pictures I saw it appears that you could adapt the Beetle Barrier that is mounted on the wooden frame to work with that style hive bottom. I hope it works for you.
How are things going now that you are 3 months in? A few questions/ideas:
1. Do you still think you need to use the industrial never wet or will the spray on work with the new method?
2. Instead of bending the wire to protect the never wet, what if you just put a wood shim in there the same width as the aluminum coated strip but left a small gap, which is too small for the bees to get into, but not for the hive beetles? This should fully protect the never wet and the hive beetles would get chased into the small gap and not be able to climb out into the hive. I am thinking of trying this with the cheaper spray on stuff, but wanted your opinion.
Hi Jeff,
The mesh ramp really helps to keep the forager bees off the Neverwet coated barriers, so you might be able to use the spray can material.
However you adapt these coated barriers to your hives you always have to keep in mind how far the SHB can stretch out to bridge a gap. In the first video test when I used live beetles I was shocked to see that beetle anchor its feet on the wood and reach out for the edge of the coated barrier, if that barrier was only a 1/4" wide instead of 3/8" that SHB would have been able to grip the edge and escape.
I'll be taking the 2.0 Beetle Barriers off to check the condition of the Neverwet and let everyone know with a short video. If your idea works make sure you share it on You-Tube, Beemaster or Beesource.
Hi Jeff. Was wondering if you tried applying the never wet to pre-finished aluminum fascia material instead of using bare aluminum flashing that needs etched?
Hi Reggie,
I had thought of using that material, which would work but it has drawbacks; it is a thicker material, low tensile strength (soft aluminum) high cost per roll and limited widths available. With aluminum flashing it is high tensile strength (ridged), very thin, multiple widths available and low cost per roll.
If you can get a surplus roll or scrap pieces from an siding installer it would be worth trying because the surface is already treated and painted which will increase the adhesion of the Neverwet and you wouldn't have to prep it like you do the flashing to increase adhesion (see prior videos), give it a try and let us know...
Will do! I do have one more question...I like to notch the front edge of my inner cover and push the telescoping cover all the way forward for a secondary entrance to offer foraging bees a shortcut to supers. Is it likely all the beetles that were deterred by the neverwet would just find their way to that entrance if I leave it unscreened or just a few of them? I know you show instructions to screen top off completely but wondered if you tested both ways or not? Thanks for the info and all your research!
I can't even begin to count how many times I have removed my telescoping tops and have seen small hive beetles crawling on the aluminum window screen of the inner vent covers. I've shown people in several of my videos on how to make the SHB proof vented inner covers. The SHB will crawl all over your hive looking for a place to get in and they can easily go through 1/8" hardware cloth, so yes if there is another opening in your hive the SHB will find it no matter where it is.
Hey Jeff it’s me again. I’m curious if when you made it you used the clear neverwet and if that’s important? I used the white because it was cheaper and it had kind of a powdery layer that came off. I put some ants in it to test it out and they can crawl right over it. Could be the humidity potentially here not sure.
Hi Tripp,
The same thing happened to me on a hot and humid day, just like any paint the Neverwet is also affected by the humidity, I do mine in an air-conditioned area. Thanks for watching and the comment..
Hi can you ship this strips Beetle Barrier 2.0to me Chicago I will pay how much for one hive ?
I appreciate the offer but I am not set up to sell these Beetle Barriers. This is why I made the videos to show other beekeepers how to make them.
Are you still keeping bees? I’m wanting to start and your hive Beatle barrier looks like it could save me some heart ache. I going to use your research and apply it to a Layens hive. Thanks so much for your hard work.
Darryl this is so funny I just replied to your last comment a second ago. Please watch all the videos on the Beetle Barriers because they have evolved in both design and treatment of the aluminum flashing. I'm sure you'll be able to the information in your beekeeping adventures.
Did you paint the hardware cloth with neverwet?
Hi Mike,
Just the aluminum strips are coated.
Just started researching how to prevent SHB vs trapping them and found your videos - fantastic job and impressive dedication to improving/researching. My question is would it be just as useful to simply tip up the bottom brood box and staple the aluminum strips to the box itself and set it back down onto the SBB? No 3/4" shim setup? FYI - I'm using the BEESMART screen bottom which is plastic....wonder if I painted it with NeverWet if the SHBs would not be able to climb up the sides from the screen? Thanks
Hi Champy,
You just described my first design and also my first video. I found that with all the forager bees climbing over the Neverwet coated barrier they became contaminated with dirt, wax and propolis. That led to all the update videos from proper Neverwet adhesion on the aluminum flashing to the new mesh ramp design. I think if you watch all the videos from the beginning to the last one of "Inside the Hive" you see the design changes and get an idea of what I did to over come the problems in the original design. Coating the bottom board or sides will have little to no effect in keeping the SHB out of the hive, you just need that protruding barrier inside the hive. Happy Beekeeping....
You just introduced new terminology... Etched and Sanded. Can you explain? How do you etch? What grit do you sand? Is this something we would discover how to do based on instructions with the product? After a season in the field, which one do you think works better (Etched, Etched and Sanded, or Sanded)?
Hi Mike,
Etched means to chemically treat a metal surface to condition or roughen before refinishing, I used 150 grit. These barriers were installed on existing hives and have been on for over 2 weeks. The final results for which refinishing system will work the best is still unknown but at this point they all looked good. Future Inside the Hive episodes will determine the best way to refinish the aluminum. The link below will help you understand what I did in case you missed it.
ruclips.net/video/gXU2EAT2lek/видео.html
Does it appear to you that the bees are still trying to clear the surface coating from the aluminium? Have you tried having the barrier under the steel mesh, preventing the beetles from coming back through once chased down? Or is this inadequate for control of the shb? I'm asking as I want to incorporate the strips into my new hive. I like your idea of mounting the strips on a separate frame, and think I'd just switch these out for repainting every couple of years. Thanks for sharing the techniques and trying to improve the design.
Hi grubbyamy,
The bees are constantly cleaning the inside of their hive including the Neverwet coated barriers . I had thought of bending the mesh (1/8" hardware cloth) back over the Neverwet coated barriers to protect them but you would still need a 3/16" - 1/4" gap at the edge so the hive beetles aren't able to crawl up onto the mesh and enter the hive or fall onto to the mesh while trying to crawl onto the coated barriers. If the Neverwet coated barriers needed refinishing you would have to bend back the mesh and then space the gap all over again, unfortunately there is no perfect solution to protecting the Neverwet coating but I think this idea comes pretty close to it. Good luck with your bees and thanks for Subscribing....
Thank you Jeff for all your bee keeping work. Can you tell me where you purchase your one sided polyethylene tape you use between supers?
Hi Mike,
Your welcome, I use the 1/8" X 5/8" foam tape and here is the website.
www.equalseal.com/White-Polyethylene-Closed-Cell-Foam-s/2187.htm
Since SMB are 5.7mm long and the honey bee is 15mm long, why not just put a 7-8mm (adjusted for the SMB leg length) metal strip coated with Neverwet around the bottom of the lowest brood box? This way the beetles cant cross the metal strip, but the honey bees are long enough to grab onto the box above the strip without impeding their travels?
Hello Eric,
I appreciate the idea but you may want to watch all the videos I have on this idea, it has been improving since original video in 2015, with one more to go.... Go onto my channel to watch them all.
Good to see you stick with it, and keep innovating. How long were the bees in these shimmed hives?
Hello James,
Thanks, These barriers were installed on existing two box hives with ample bee populations and have been on for over 2 weeks.
Haven't started beekeeping yet--I'm still in the information gathering/learning phase--but I found your name from a comment made in the lecture video given by James Ellis at the 2014 National Honey Show. How did you stumble across the Neverwet to begin with?
Hi Bret,
Like everybody in beekeeping the SHB was a problem in my hives and I got sick and tired of them. That is when I started searching for a coating that was non-toxic and food safe which could be used inside a beehive, I spent hours upon hours researching different coatings and testing them before I found Neverwet. The Neverwet coated beetle barriers have been improved through the years with the last videos showing the improvements done and which other beekeepers can use. Good luck in your beekeeping adventure.
Jeff, great videos and thanks for spending the time to post them. Seems like the SHB are worse this year. I have a question about the never wet. I would like to try it for an ant barrier. Do you think I could apply it to aluminum AC tape? In my bee yards I use custom stands made of aluminum with a single post design so I'll try it on the stands as well.
Hi evanfly,
Thank You. Single post aluminum sounds like a strong and attractive hive stand. How about if you mask off a 4" to 6" section off the post towards the top of the stand and spray Neverwet directly on the post. If you spray the aluminum tape and put it on the post the flexing of the tape may loosen the adhesion of the Neverwet. Did tou Tig or Mig weld the stands to assemble them and was it square or round stock, I'm curious because I like to see creative ideas... Here is the ant barrier video.
ruclips.net/video/FeKmeV0NzMc/видео.html
Actually the tape idea was for other applications where I don't use the aluminum stands, ie some top bar hives etc. I will eventually have the alum stands on all my hives but we do mig weld them and it takes some time. Currently I weld alum cooking pots onto the 3x3 square posts that I fill with mineral oil to keep the ants at bay. I use the pot lid to keep the bees from getting to the oil. They are 3x3 square posts, and they are quite solid. THey work best for me here in FL because they are also hurricane proof. I had many hives strapped to them for Irma and they had no problem. How can I PM you, I can send a picture of the stand. I think I will try the neverwet on a section of the post and see how that works.
Sounds good, send them to r_willard@bellsouth.net I live in Milton FL. near Pensacola so I know what beekeepers have to go through in Hurricanes and its not fun....
Awesome!!! Jeff congratulations!! You just might have it!! Very exciting!! Let us know!! And if this holds up, there shouldn't be any more need for the screen bottom board as far as the beetle is concerned?
Thanks, Phillip Hall
Also, The scope camera that you have is awesome!! I love the clarity and zoom as well! Would you mind telling me what make and model it is? Again thanks, Phillip Hall
It is a Teslong I bought it from Amazon, here is the link.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H7158GA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hi Phillip,
Thank you, I'll be doing another soon. I will always be a big believer in the screened bottom board, it keeps the hive cooler and cleaner especially in removing Varroa from the hive. With a solid bottom board if a Varroa Mite falls off a bee or comb and lands on the solid bottom board it just waits for another bee victim to come along which it climbs onto making its way back into the hive.
Next the beetles will be putting up signs: "Can't get no satisfaction" Oh wait that was the Rolling Stoned.
They may be up to it right now, as we speak.....
Question, when you sprayed your strips were they smooth or rough looking when they dried? Mine are kinda rough looking. Thanks for your videos, love em!
Hi Larry,
That is what the 2nd stage looks like, it confuses a lot of people because they think it should be super smooth. If you looked at the surface under a electron microscope you would see a surface of sharp peaks and valleys that is why the SHB tarsal pads (their feet) can't grip the surface. Thanks for the compliment, I have more videos coming on things that will help beekeepers.
@@jeffwillard2417 Thanks Jeff! Another question, when I picked up my strips I had powder like film come off on my hands. Is this normal? Did you wipe them off before you installed them? Thanks again!
I have noticed that on mine also at times when it was a hot humid day spraying, I now spray mine inside a air conditioned area for a drier environment. You could of also had some overspray residue but I never wiped any of my coated strips off before installation.
The biggest problem that I found was the adhesion of the first stage on the flashing, which I experimented with and covered in the prior videos. Good luck with your bees..
@@jeffwillard2417 Well I tried it your way and guess what,,,,, IT WORKS! So far this season when I checked my hives (only have two) I have only seen 3 beetles! They are all trapped in the bottom! I am going to continue checking and if all goes well I'll pass this method along to the bee keepers association we belong to. Thanks again!
Glad to help..
You know if it was discovered that Honey Bees were writing in English, I would not be surprised!
Honey bees are amazing creatures and the more you learn about them the more impressive they become.. Plus I had nothing to do with the signs they made :) :)
Are those bees that special breed from GA that never ever sting humans for any reason whatsoever ?
Hello Southeastern,
Several years ago I caught a swarm about 5 miles from where I live and it turned out to be the calmest and best honey producing hive I in my Apiary. I have been grafting from that queen for re-queening and making Nuc's,
I still have a few pissy hives that will be dealt with next Spring by re-queening, their days are numbered. When I re-queen a hive I will remove every drone cell and drone in the hive to remove that hives aggressive DNA, chasing live drones down to kill on frames with tweezers is time consuming and somewhat crazy but it works. How's your Nuc's doing.....
Tweezer method, that's a video I can't wait for.
Have confirmation of three queens so far successful breeding. . Lost one of the queens, she had been stung just wasn't dead yet and have a few boxes where I can't find the queen at all. Had 3 days of solid rain right when they where slated to start mating so they're behind a tad.
I could call it, "Hunting for the Killer Bee Drones"
You should design a cage that catches drones at the entrance, then all you would have to do is harvest them.