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LETTERS
Letters Dear Friends cannot understand the reason why Bernhard Clauss and Pam Gregory do not use top-bars of width 22 mm as used in Cameroon. Most top-bar hives have seen in villages (far from towns with no possibilities to find a carpenter) have bees living or entering under the roof, because it is quite impossible for villagers without . machines to cut top-bars straight; then the bees have to stick propolis to close the space between the bars. When you . . open the hive you cannot avoid disturbing the bees which then become defensive and aggressive.
(inset) It is a pleasure to catch thes: bees in your hand
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It is so simple to cut 22 mm top-bar, and no matter if it is not perfectly straight. The bars are then covered with a plastic sheet that can be taken off without disturbing the bees. As shown in the picture, it is a pleasure to catch these bees in your hand; these bees are not Buckfast bees but African bees. The space between the bars is 10 mm of course. a
Thanks for your work with beekeeping. André Romet fright} A top-bar with brood
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Andre Romet
Bees for Development Journal
