Country skills and objects #9

[British Red]

Here is one that a few specialists will instantly know, but for the rest.......any ideas on the purpose of this object?

Its a couple of inches across


IMG_7720 by British Red, on Flickr

 

[mountainy man]

Is it a queen excluder for use in a beehive?

 

[abominable_scouse_monster]

Thatch comb?

Could be some form of net jig.

 

[OakTinder]

You put your cookie under the mesh before ya head off to work so the wife wont eat it.

 

[Bowlander]

Not 100% but I'd go for a queen bee cage, used when marking / handling the queen?

 

[British Red]

Aahhh very good Bowlander, its exactly that - called a "press in" cage it pins the queen down for examination and marking

Mountainy man - a queen excluder is something else - a sort of metal or wooden divider that worker bees can pass through but queens cant to prevent the queen laying brood in the honey that is to be extracted

 

[Bowlander]

I've earnt me flat cap now!