Installation Instructions for Bee-Safe Screens
Bee Behaviour and Installation
Bees orient to an entrance and fixate on that position. When installing robbing screens bees must learn to orient to new positions and new entry and exit patterns. Shifting entrances and installing screens normally disturbs bees for days, to more than a week. Sunshine Screens are based on bee learning and behaviour, and bees adjust immediately.
For movable hive entrances
Step 1 - Maintain entrance to one side of the hive.
Order a screen with a left or right-hand entrance that coincides with the position of your hive entrance. Order a no landing board screen if the hive does not have a landing board. Returning forager bees will have no difficulty entering the screen.
Step 2 - When bees are oriented to the hive entrance position, move the entrance to the opposite side and immediately install the screen. Ensure the venturi is positioned in the open air just past the edge of the hive. Forage bees return to the screen entrance because they are orientated to that same original hive entrance position. Their new task is to learn their way from the screen entrance to the new hive entrance. They learn this immediately. Exiting bees will exit from the new hive (screen) entrance because that is the only exit. Their new task is to learn to walk from the hive entrance to the screen entrance. Bees move toward light, and being a good light source, the screen entrance is easily found. Bees quickly learn to ignore the small vent area above.
For fixed hive entrances
Step 1 - Install the screen with the screen entrance just past and covering the hive entrance. The bees will have little difficulty returning to the screen entrance and then to the hive entrance.
Step 2 - Over a number of days move the screen in steps as far as possible so the hive entrance is as close as possible to the vents. As you move the screen entrance in small steps the bees will easily adapt to the small change. Larger shifts of the screen will result in the bees taking a little more time to adapt.
For both movable and fixed hive entrance types
Step 3 - For a permanent install, adjust the screen entrance to suit the volume of forager traffic. When installing the screen to stop an active robbing episode then close the entrance to no more than 2 bees width. When robbers are active, reduce the entrance but consider the hive numbers and bee traffic. If resident bees are backing up, widen the entrance - if moving freely, tighten up. If there is a full-on robbing assault, close the entrance to only a few bees width. To adjust the entrance, loosen the thumb screw, slide it to the required position then tighten it. Large comfortable thumb screws for gloved work.
Step 4 - Observe robbing behaviour to guide your actions. With difficult seasons and varroa on our doorstep, learning more about bees and robbing is always valuable.
Notes:
- Protecting the Screen. Screens are supplied with an internal wax coating, which deals with the constant humidity from the hive entrance. For longevity, the wooden screens should be fully protected using your preferred method. The bee logo vent is black and is designed to distract robbers. If you choose a non-clear protective coat on the screen, then please keep or paint part of the bee logo vent black.
- Mounting the screen. The screen is supplied with a 40mm thumb screw to secure it to the hive. Position the Sunshine Screen at the entrance with the venturi just clear of the side of the hive. Through the 5mm mounting hole in the top of the screen, drill a 3.5mm hole approximately 10mm deep into the hive. The thumb screw can now be screwed into the screen and hive. Tighten till there is a firm fit. There is no need to over-tighten. A good fit keeps the hive aromas going through the vents making the screen more effective. Beekeepers are ever inventive so other methods can be used.