Garth wrote about the reaction of a hive of bees to a dog bone placed in
their entrance.
 
I don't think it matters what the obstacle is, the reaction is likely to be
the same.
 
In my early experiments with moving hive I used to close the entrances with
newspaper dipped in water and plugged into the entrance.  On one occasion I
left a gap big enough for several bees.  By the time I was ready to load
that hive several had become a mass of bees all over the newspaper and front
of hive, even though it was pitch dark. They had not returned to the hive
even after 30 minutes.  Eventually I had to remove all traces of newspaper
from about the entrance and sprinkle water on the mass of bees before they
retreated and I could close it properly.
 
Sprinkling water on aggressive or flighty bees is highly successful as they
cannot fly with wet wings.  I have seen a demonstration of a swarm capture
by misting the outside layer of bees with a hand held garden spray device of
water.  The whole swarm was then transferred to the box without any taking
to the air.
 
I now use a strip of foam rubber to close hives, bought from a bedding
store.  The strips are about 1 inch thick and of sufficient length to allow
a margin of error at each end.  I can lay the whole strip along the entrance
and hold it firmly with one hand while compressing it into the entrance with
a hive tool, working from one edge to the other.  Bees on the entrance are
pushed back inside by the foam rubber.  The seal is not airtight, which I
think is an advantage, but unsealing is a breeze - just grab an end, pull
and shake and the bees have generally not even noticed you.
 
 
Betty McAdam
HOG BAY APIARY
Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island
j.h. & e. mcadam<[log in to unmask]
http://kigateway.eastend.com.au/hogbay/hogbay1.htm