# Mating Nucs + Robber Screens = No Problems



## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I started raising queens for this year in the first week of April, and I have robber screens on all 20 of my mating nucs, and I've had the highest success rates ever for getting queens mated. Just saying that the screens don't interfere with mating. Improved success rates are probably just luck - and having a second yard to move new nucs to. And probably arranging them in star shaped groups instead of lined up like row houses. Live and learn.


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

David, thanks for this. I have been contemplating putting robbing screens on some 5 frame boxes that I plan to put a 2 gallon feeder and three frames in. I have been worrying as to whether the queens would find their way back in. I appreciate you doing the work and finding out.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

You're welcome. I tried it on a few hives the last couple of years before I was sure enough to commit.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I found last summer that splits are best protected by robbing screens from the start if they are in a mixed-size apiary like mine, where a lot of honey-felons live. And like David, I found that screens in place did not interfere with mating flights. 

What I think is equally important is to have the screens on well before you might have the virgin queen leaving on her mating flights so robbing doesn't become an urgent issue right around the time you want her to be able to go and find her way back with no problems. It's a big problem if robbing starts around those few days and I want to prevent that ahead of time. So when the queen (and any attendants going with her) goes out through the screen she is oriented to the way back in, _with no big changes while she's gone_. 

Enj.


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## maynard (Jul 7, 2014)

After a brutal summer for robbing last year, I've come to the same conclusion. I'm about to make some splits into nucs, and am going to add screens when I make up the nucs.

I've yet to settle on a method though.
What's your favorite robbing screen? Simple hardware cloth, or a more elaborate setup?


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

This Works fine...



















Baffles and scent shield like this works even better, but the simple one does work.










That wooden flap thingie on the lower left pivots over to the right and opens a bypass entrance so that the bees can come and go without going through the robber screen - I rarely use it.

Putting them on long before robbing starts - or at the time you make up nucs - is far far more effective than after.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Good info, thanks


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## maynard (Jul 7, 2014)

I've had problem with those types with them not being able to pull dead bees out of the hive. I've resorted to just a piece of hardware cloth that extends out past the landing board and hive on both sides. It's super cheap, impossibly easy to do, and seems to be effective so far.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

I'm sure it is more work for them to do, but I've never observed any problem with it. If you left them on during winter I'm sure It would be a problem, but during the spring/summer beekeeping season healthy hives - in my bee yards - are able to deal with it. I've never found a hive with a buildup of dead bees inside of it because of robber screens.

I've used simple hardware cloth only robber screens before - like this one for a nuc...










and it works just fine, but the wooden framed ones are much much more durable if you are going to take them on and off and/or use them for several seasons - As you can see by the wear and tear on mine. I just leave these screwed to small nucs year round since I don't overwinter them...


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Jolly good post, LaFerney! Huzzah! And thank you. 

Also, I made up an Oldtimer / Joseph Clemens-type vented nucleus Cell Starter box like you suggest for late season queen rearing. Good thing, too, as the nectar flow in my area is just about over for the year. Several beek's reporting large numbers of bees OK two weeks before found starved to death when checked last week. Time for feeders and robbing screens accross the board out here, not just the nucs.

It's first duty was bringing home some vacuumed cut-out bees, though, oh well - gotta love multi-use devices.


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## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

Dang, those are nice robber screens. I wondered the same thing about the queen finding her way back in, but they did. But, imstill questioned whether or not they would repeatedly. Thanks for the post. 

Mine are cheaper than those.  a piece of mesh screen running 6 inches out from the entrance stapled to the hive front. 

I prefer the word frugal Ha!


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

David: What is the height of your mating Nuc robbing screen? 

I use 8 inches on the breeder queen hives, but I think it's to high for Nucs.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

About 4"


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Another note - Early in the season, shortend robber screens to fit along with Boardman feeders (Mason jar type) should be placed to that the bees exit and enter on the opposite side as the feeder. This makes robbing from the jar more difficult.

Once robbing season starts in earnest, change to full-length robber screens (NO Boardman feeders) and hive-top bucket feeders, frame feeders, or Miller-type feeders, with the brood nest in between the entrance and the feeder. This really helps the home team win the robbing fights.


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## MTN-Bees (Jan 27, 2014)

What height do you make your full size screens?


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