Concerning use of different size mesh, Karen Oland said "I seem to remember
one paper that said 6 mesh is large enough that yellow
jackets could get in, requiring the bees to defend the entire bottom floor
(yellow jackets hang outside my hives in the fall in fairly large numbers,
trying to find a way in). 8 mesh is commonly available, but 7 is also sold
at beekeeping supply houses."

Yep, yellow jackets easily go through 6 mesh and so do honeybees (but not so
easily as yellow jackets)!

Back around 20 years ago some pollen trap manufacturers were using 6 mesh as
stripping screens.  I was suspicious, so for one entire summer ran a
comparison of traps using 6 and 5 mesh.  Used two hive stands, six mesh on
one hive and five mesh on the other.  Switched the traps after 3 weeks.

Six mesh traps collected almost 50% more pollen than five mesh traps!  To
me, that meant they were collecting 'too much' and we continued to use only
five mesh screens.  AFAIK, now all manufacturers use five mesh, so others
might have had the same experience as we did.

Seven mesh should be fine as a SBB.  However, be careful if you find it less
expensive than eight mesh.  I know of only one source of seven mesh in the
US that is of high quality.  Most seven mesh sold is manufactured in China
and I have seen some that is of real poor quality with huge gaps (meaning
that much of the wire has fewer than seven wires to the inch).  My
advice...stick with the eight mesh, or contact me privately for the 'good
source' of seven mesh.


Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb
Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps
and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels.

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