The primary purpose of the 8mm wooden fillets is to maintain "bee space." These strips create a precise physical gap between the Morris Board and the rest of the hive assembly. This spacing is critical to ensure bees can move freely between components without being crushed and to prevent the colony from sealing the equipment together.
Without these 8mm spacers, the Morris Board would disrupt the hive's internal architecture. They are necessary to maintain the gap that prevents bee fatalities during installation and ensures the equipment remains functional and unsealed by propolis.
The Mechanics of Hive Spacing
Preserving Standard Bee Space
The 8mm dimension is not arbitrary; it is engineered to match standard bee space. In beekeeping, specific dimensions dictate how bees behave within a structure.
By incorporating these fillets, the Morris Board ensures that the vertical gap between frames remains constant. This allows the colony to function normally despite the introduction of a new mechanical device.
Ensuring Colony Safety
The most immediate function of the fillets is bee protection. Without this 8mm rise, inserting the board could crush bees located on the top bars of the frames below.
The fillets create a safe buffer zone. This ensures that when you operate the queen-rearing device, the bees have sufficient headroom to move out of the way without injury.
Preventing Equipment Sealing
Bees instinctively manage the airflow and security of their hive using propolis, a sticky resin. They typically use this to seal any gap that is too small to walk through but too large to ignore.
The 8mm fillets ensure the gap remains wide enough to be treated as a passageway rather than a crack. This prevents the bees from gluing the Morris Board to the hive body, ensuring it remains easy to disassemble and adjust.
Precision and Maintenance Considerations
The Importance of Exact Dimensions
The effectiveness of these fillets relies entirely on precision. If the wood warps or compresses to less than 8mm, the "bee space" is compromised.
If the gap shrinks, it effectively becomes a "crush zone." Furthermore, if the gap deviates significantly, bees may begin to build burr comb or excessive propolis, defeating the purpose of the design.
Maintenance of Movable Parts
While the fillets are designed to prevent propolis accumulation on movable parts, they require inspection. The fillets themselves can accumulate debris over time.
To ensure the Morris Board continues to sit flush and function correctly, the faces of these fillets should be kept clean. This guarantees the 8mm gap remains accurate season after season.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
Proper use of the Morris Board requires respecting the engineering behind these small wooden components.
- If your primary focus is Colony Health: Verify the fillets are intact before installation to guarantee bees have the freedom to move without risk of being crushed.
- If your primary focus is Ease of Operation: regularly clean the fillets to maintain the precise 8mm gap, preventing the bees from cementing the board in place with propolis.
The 8mm fillet is a small component that upholds the fundamental rule of beekeeping: respecting the bee's need for space.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Dimension | Primary Function | Benefit to Beekeeper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fillet Thickness | 8mm | Maintains "Bee Space" | Prevents bees from being crushed |
| Gap Management | Precise | Regulates movement | Stops bees from sealing boards with propolis |
| Vertical Buffer | 8mm | Ensures headroom | Keeps frames movable and easy to inspect |
| Material Integrity | Rigid Wood | Structural precision | Prevents burr comb and equipment misalignment |
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References
- Desta Gemedi, Taye Lema. Evaluation of Morris Board Queen Rearing Technique in Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. DOI: 10.11648/j.eeb.20251003.12
This article is also based on technical information from HonestBee Knowledge Base .
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