# Robber Screen



## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

Notaclue asked me about using a boardman feeder with the robber screen. To me this would be a great idea. I am prejudice against boardman style feeders because of the robbing that goes on because of them. I couldn't find one in my junk pile, but if memory serves me right, they are designed to slip in a 3/8" opening. If this is correct, all that would need to be done would be to make a 3/8" opening the width of the feeder block in the bottom of the wood bar on the robber screen and making sure the bottom board fully supports the block as well. Otherwise there would be an opening between the feeder block and the landing board.
Here is what the robber screen looks like.
http://nordykebeefarm.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=6&PN=1 
Has anyone tried this? When I find one of mine, I will modify the robber screen and see if it works.
Thanks to David for thinking outside the box (pun intended).


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

Jon
Thanks for the excellent web site and description of robber screens!


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## Murphy (Jun 7, 2005)

Jon,
I second David on the excellent website. I have used your jig for building supers.
I was interested in how long before the robbers discover the new entrance. Also do you use an entrance reducer to reduce the old entrance?

Thanks
Murphy


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## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

Hi Murphy,
The robber bees never discover the upper entrance in my experience. Even if they come from a hive with a robber screen, they follow their instincts. Remember, bee's instincts are what makes beekeeping possible. If they could reason things out, they would move their honey somewhere safer in the first place!
I don't use an entrance reducer. I use Killion bottom boards. These are reversable. One side is 3/8" and the other is 2". They are made for killion boards, which slide in the entrance and give lots of ventilation. Adding the robber screens allows this. Otherwise an entrance reducer would be needed.
Jon


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## David Stewart (Jan 22, 2005)

Jon,
Really neat robber screen design and thanks for sharing. I made one up yesterday (only difference from your design is that I simply stapled the screen to the outside of the frame and didn't inset it) and after watching the girls reaction I have a question. When I installed it in the afternoon it understandibly created quite a stir. Didn't take the girls inside very long to find their way out but it seemed as only 5-10% were able to find their way back in. They eventually all began congregating on the SBB and transfering water/nectar to each other through the SBB. Went out at dark and took it the robber screen off. Put it back on before daylight this morning and noticed the very same thing. Also seemed to have a big impact on the housekeepers as there were several dead bees/larvae stacked up on the inside of the landing board (presumably the cleaning crew couldn't get them up and out). My question is am I just not giving them enough time to adjust? In your experience, how long should it take them to fully adjust to the robber screen?

Thanks,
David


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## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

David,
Mine take a couple of days. What you will observe is the orienting bees will start coming in directly over the top. The older bees will wander around the edge until they plop over the top.
Aaah, with a SBB, you may have to provide a small hole at the bottom of the wood. I've never used them with the SBB. I would make it 3/4" wide X 3/8" high.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
I have modified a couple and will post a new picture on the site.
Jon


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## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

Ok, the new pictures are posted.
http://nordykebeefarm.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=6
Jon


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

It seems that only the older bees would have a problem with this, and next spring if it is in place when they start flying, they will not have a problem.

peggjam


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## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

peggjam,
I agree. However, I don't use SBBs, so I didn't anticipate the problem that David discovered. I put mine on anytime I feel they might need the protection and haven't had problems.
I don't put the small entrance on mine because of a weak colony that I had once that couldn't defend even this small hole.
Jon


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## Barry Tolson (May 26, 2004)

Jon,
Just want to make sure....Can this robber screen be used on "non" Killion style bottom boards? Mine are 3/4".
Also...If these screens were to be left on all winter, do you think it might also serve as a mouse guard...or would the mice figure it out and make access anyway?
Thanks
Barry


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## Jon McFadden (Mar 26, 2005)

Hi Barry,
I don't leave them on in the winter. I don't really use them until late spring when the chance for a dearth exists. The bees seem to co-exist just fine as long as there is a honey flow going.
They will work on any bottom board since you are going to build them for your hives. The critical design distance is keeping the upper entrance 6" above the bottom board. They are really great for 5 frame nucs and their original purpose, mating hives.
I either use entrance reducers in the winter or turn the boards over and use the 3/8" opening. I prefer the 3/8" opening, but get lazy sometimes and use the reducer. That keeps the mice out. One thing I haven't tried is using #4 hardware cloth.
Jon


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## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

Jon, I haven't needed a robber screen yet, but I have made over a dozen and renamed them "moving screen". I install them at dusk, after the dees are in, and move the bees that night or the next morning. I have slats made to set down in far enough to stay even when riding. When I unload, I just jerk up the slat and leave the screen on till mid-morning, when they are working and friendly. To my knowledge, I have not lost a bee with this method. Thanks


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I bought them as moving screens and converted them to robber screens.


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

Only a few of my older bees were passing through the SBB. The rest are just going over the top. David

That was meant as passing nectar through to a house bee. Cool to watch.


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## terri lynn (Apr 5, 2009)

Jon McFadden said:


> Ok, the new pictures are posted.
> http://nordykebeefarm.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=6
> Jon


Jon-
Thanks for all the info on robbing screens. I did have a question regarding the design for sbb. With the notch opening on bottom, what's to keep the robbers from just going through that opening? It looks similar to an entrance reducer that wouldn't keep robbers totally out. Is there something in between we can't see? :scratch:


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

The only notch that I have is used as an entrance reducer at the top of the screen frame, they can only access it from above. If the notch is to the outside of the screen then yes anything can get through that fits. For upper entrance screens, the bottom is blocked so that nothing can climb up from under and set up where the hive entrance is protected. I need to make new ones since I have given away some and those not painted are trashing out. I'll get some pictures of what I mean and post the links for you if you like. I'm sure Jon has more experience than I have.


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## terri lynn (Apr 5, 2009)

Yeah, pictures would be great if you have the chance. I'm still learning about robber screens (just found out they existed - wish I'd known last fall!). I ordered a couple, but I'd like to just make them. Thanks!


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## chrissv (Oct 12, 2008)

I just built one for a hive I'm going to install (from a Nuc) this month, based on the descriptions and pictures.










(the open notch facing the hive entrance is at the bottom right)

-- Steven


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