Hi:

From my experience, bee brushes are common among hobbiest, seldom seen in
commercial bee operations.

Commercial folks remove bees with fume boards, blowers, or by shaking -
seldom have time to ease bees off frames with a brush.

Personally, I find them useful - but mainly because in our research, we
often need to see the comb.  Also, we often shake, then use the brush to
remove the last hangers on.

However, not all brushes are equal.  I don't understand why bee equipment
suppliers sell natural bristle, black brushes.  The bees will immediately
attack the brush and get entangled in the bristles.  My recommendation,
throw the black brushes away.  The synthetic bristles in lighter colors
work fine.  The common yellow plastic fiber brushes sold in the U.S. are a
bit too stiff for my liking, but they work, and the bees don't attack the
brush.  I keep an eye out in the housewares sections for brushes that work.

Jerry


Jerry J. Bromenshenk, Ph.D.
Director, DOE/EPSCoR & Montana Organization for Research in Energy
The University of Montana-Missoula
Missoula, MT  59812-1002
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel:  406-243-5648
Fax:  406-243-4184
http://www.umt.edu/biology/more
http://www.umt.edu/biology/bees