With the quiet times for beekeepers here, I thought I would survey your opinions on the use of landing boards in frame hives. This has been my first year and "unseasonal" to say the least but I did not purchase a landing board with the current hive set-up and there seems to have been no major difficulty but I'm curious. Any ideas y'all?
5 comments:
Hi Cliff. First, I'm glad I wasn't on that plane! Looks a little too close for comfort to me. Incredible photo.
One of my hives has a flat board and the other is slanted. Can't tell that the bees show a preference. If and when I go to TB hives, there will only be a few small holes as entrances. Take a look at Bees in the Antipodes if you haven't already done so. Ngaio's new TB hive is beautiful. I agree with her that bees in the wild don't have landing boards.
As I finish my second year of beekeeping, I'm convinced there is no predicting "seasonal" anymore. Maybe that's part of the fun, and challenge, of our wonderful hobby.
Wish I could help Cliff, but what I know about this topic could be written on the back of a stamp.
However, I have a little joke; I think it's a joke:
A motorist runs out of petrol and is miles away from anywhere. A little bee buzzes into his car and says: 'Stay there, I'll get some help'
Soon after a swarm of bees arrive and tell him to open his petrol tank. The bees all swarm into the tank and then come out.
'Try it now' says the helpful bee.
He starts the motor and it ticks over beautifully.
What did the bees do?
Yes, they filled his tank!
Bee P.
(Sorry 'bout dat)
Lynn; you're quite right. I'd recently read Ngaio's blog and subconsciously my brain must have lodged this query.
Philip; Ha ha ;) very good - I'm shockingly bad at remembering jokes myself.
I have wondered about this too and did some observing. If there's a small gap under the bottom board the bees will go under it. So I placed a board across the front of both hives and they'd still go into any small gap in front of the hive. If there was any slight opening at the back where I had the flap over the opening where the sticky boards go they'd go in there.
But, it was only new bees that did this. Once they got things figured out they went right into the hive. But I do think the slant is easier for them to walk up when they're loaded down.
Hi Cliff!
Most of our hives have a flat bottom board (screened too). We made one with a ramp, but really don't see a differnce either.
Love the photo..
Thanks for the info about Crough Patrick. Looks like an amazing place and sooo beautiful!! Hope you had a great time on your birthday! Did you find any gold?
: )
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