Screenshot of a witbee Snelgrove Board Double screen boards—often called Snelgrove boards—come in various styles and designs to meet the needs of different beekeepers and management techniques. The core concept remains the same: a board with two parallel screens to separate colonies or spaces within the same hive while allowing heat and pheromones to transfer. […]
Styles and Designs of Double Screen Boards in Beekeeping Read More »
Key Steps for Placement 1. Prepare Your Equipment 2. For Hive Splits 3. For Requeening 4. Key Positioning Details Table: Positioning Overview Step Action Details 1 Place board on lower hive box Screens align with hive body tops/bottoms 2 Add upper box (split or queenless setup) Directly on top of the screen board 3 Open
Proper Positioning of a Double Screen Board for Hive Splits and Requeening Read More »
Detailed close-up of honeybees on a beehive frame in Garešnica, Croatia, showcasing apiculture.by Vladimir Srajber via pexels Modern beekeeping has experienced a technological revolution, with innovations spanning from basic hive monitoring to sophisticated AI-powered systems. These technologies are transforming how beekeepers manage their colonies, improve bee health, and optimize honey production. Digital Hive Monitoring and IoT Sensors Smart
Image by honeyrunapiaries Are Double-Screen Boards Necessary? Double screen boards are indispensable for beekeepers seeking flexible, non-invasive methods to manage hive splits, queen rearing, overwintering weaker colonies, and combining hives—offering controlled pheromone and heat transfer while preventing direct bee movement. Overview A double screen board (also known as a Snelgrove board) is a wooden insert
Double Screen Boards: Essential Beekeeping Tool for Hive Management Read More »
Double-screen (Snelgrove) boards are powerful for hive splits, swarm control, and requeening, but certain errors can reduce their effectiveness or harm colonies. The following are frequent pitfalls to watch for: 1. Mistakes with Entrances and Timing 2. Queen, Brood, and Colony Management Errors 3. Improper Screen or Board Setup 4. Neglecting Food and Resource Management
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Double-Screen Boards in Hive Management Read More »
Hive Splitting Splitting a hive is a highly effective way to prevent swarming because it directly addresses the main natural triggers for the swarm impulse: Summary In short, splitting proactively manages bee population and hive space, directly removing the physical and pheromonal conditions that lead to swarming. This not only prevents the population loss and
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Creating an artificial swarm satisfies bees’ reproductive instincts because it closely simulates the colony-level process of natural swarming, which is the primary way honey bee colonies reproduce and ensure their long-term survival. In summary An artificial swarm uses bees’ deeply ingrained biological urges for colony reproduction to redirect their behavior and relieve the pressure that
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Splitting a hive—dividing one strong colony into two—impacts the buildup of resources (like honey and pollen stores) and the strength of both resulting colonies in several important ways. Immediate Effects After Splitting Medium-Term Dynamics Impact on Honey Production Timing and Management Tips Table: Effects of Splitting on Colony Strength and Resource Buildup Factor Short-term Effect
How Hive Splitting Affects Resource Buildup and Colony Strength Read More »
Splitting a bee hive—a practice where one strong colony is divided into two—has both benefits and risks when it comes to overwintering. Its impact on winter survival depends on several key factors, including timing, colony strength, and post-split management. Potential Impacts of Splitting on Winter Survival 1. Reduced Initial Strength 2. Queen Issues and Brood
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The timing of splitting a bee colony is crucial to its effectiveness in preventing swarming. Splitting too early or too late can have consequences for both swarm control and the health of your bee colonies. Why Timing Matters Optimal Timing Effects of Poor Timing Timing Swarm Prevention Risks Too Early Less effective Weak splits, risk
