How to Trap Honeybees With a Screen

When a beekeeper wants to keep the bees inside their hive, whether to move them to a new location or to keep them indoors during winter, they use a screen called an excluder. You can easily make your own excluder and entryway screen to keep your honeybee colony trapped and secure inside their hive. Hives are made of hollow boxes called supers, and a screen on top of the top one will trap the bees inside and offer ventilation. Another small piece of screen will block the entrance.

Things You'll Need

  • Fine mesh screen
  • lath or flat molding
  • measuring tape
  • staple gun
  • staples
  • drill
  • screws
  • ratchet strap
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your hive and cut the lath to create a hollow square the same size as the top super. Fasten the pieces together with the screws.

    • 2

      Staple a square of the screen to the lath, making sure there are no gaps. Place the staples every 3 inches for bee-proof coverage. Place this screen inside the top cover of the hive, between the cover and the top super.

    • 3

      Take a small piece of the screen and fold it at a 90-degree angle. Insert this into the front entrance. Fasten it securely with a staple to prevent it from falling out.

    • 4

      Strap all the supers and bottom board together, trapping the bees inside. Now you are ready to move the hive.