Do you use a QE

[wightbees]

This year i have tried the not using a QE to see how it all works out.
And from the results i think i will give it another go next yr.
I only tried it on 1 hive the others have them on .But the Brood area is larger
than i had imagined.1 dadant BB and 1 super i have also taken 1 nuc and 1 AS
there is also over 1 super of stores possibly more as i have given them another
super one and a half weeks ago.I have gone to 2 weekly checks also and all looks well.

Thought i would add the poll as i have not done one yet

 

[Lance Hutchings]

Id never find the queen if she was just roaming about !!

 

[BBG]

We are amazed at adding another brood box of foundation to find they're like ferrets up there and draw it out then fill it with brood and stores.

However add a QE and super and there is much muttering and only a few 'scab' labourers drawing out and making a show of putting away stores.

Is the no QE the way to go.

Should that question be another thread?

 

[aseeryl]

The bee inspector came about 3 weeks ago - he said leave the QE asaide for a while - since then they are filling the super, with loads of bees up there - stores only. however, the other hive is not responding yet.

 

[oliver90owner]

wightbees,

Not in the sense that you are meaning.

I only use it to clear the brood from the honey frames as and when necessary, so three weeks at a time is typical. Using one today, to find a queen tomorrow, for instance.

I find them a hindrance for prolific laying queens, especially at the main spring expansion, so not using them can serve as a swarming deterent.

So 'Yes, I use them', but 'no I don't' (in the conventional way).

And I don't go queen hunting very often, so that is not too much of an issue.

So which way should I vote?

RAB

 

[BBG]

Sorry Aseeryl don't quite understand what you mean - more explanation please.

Our main concern is it is now recommended NOT to use honey from brood comb - don't recollect where I read it.

 

[BBG]

wightbees,

Not in the sense that you are meaning.

I only use it to clear the brood from the honey frames as and when necessary, so three weeks at a time is typical. Using one today, to find a queen tomorrow, for instance.

I find them a hindrance for prolific laying queens, especially at the main spring expansion, so not using them can serve as a swarming deterent.

So 'Yes, I use them', but 'no I don't' (in the conventional way).

And I don't go queen hunting very often, so that is not too much of an issue.

So which way should I vote?

RAB

Would very much appreciate some light thrown on this subject as you do/don't.

How do you get on with extracting

How far up does she go

More please.

 

[oliver90owner]

Would very much appreciate some light thrown on this subject as you do/don't.

Which bit don't you undestand?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm a second year keeper. Last year didn't count really. I had a nuc to look after which did nowt but get through the winter. This year has been quite different. I have made loads of mistakes as events overtook me.
I can see the idea behind no excluder. Bees naturally keep stores above the brood so if you super over the queen may/will go up but will stop when the brood nest is sufficient for the colony and above that will be stores.
Am I on the right track here?

 

[Swarm]

That's how I read it but what concerns me is the statement about honey only from non brood comb, I've heard that too.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Then there is Hivemaker's post about putting three drawn supers under the brood box at the beginning of the season with an entrance between the supers and brood so that foragers go down ignoring the nest.
No excluder there either......

 

[Erichalfbee]

That's how I read it but what concerns me is the statement about honey only from non brood comb, I've heard that too.

Some commercial beekeepers spin all stores out ,brood and super, at the end of the season...or so I've read here on the forum...........

 

[tonybloke]

shouldn't this be in the 'polls' section?

 

[wightbees]

lol yes TB but it's a poll newby mistake
Rab i think you should vote No.
I have also read people spin from BF can't see that it hurts really .I bet all the import stuff comes from where ever.

 

[SixFooter]

I had recently decided to try leaving the QXs off next year as this year, some colonies swarmed rather than move up into the super through a QX.
Putting it back on 3 weeks before harvest seems like a good idea, so next year will try that.

 

[starflex]

As life is a learning thing, I think I might try Rab's methods for one hive next year.

Up until now I've been using QXs in the conventional way, ie to exclude the Q.

 

[BBG]

Would very much appreciate some light thrown on this subject as you do/don't.

Which bit don't you undestand?

Ahh! Still suffering from PTSD - fine will try to humour you awhile. Or not.

 

[oliver90owner]

SixFooter,

OSR can be a bit of a pain, but better than swarms. I do swap a few frames around to make sure I can extract as much as possible at each visit. I likely wouldn't do it so much if I was doing it on a commercial basis. This time of the year they will be slowing and it will get them back in the brood. Last year I had one that I could not condense onto a single box - I could normally shift some bees across to a weaker colony if I wanted but last year the season ended abruptly.

With Warres they don't even spin out the frames after the comb is used for a couple or few cycles of brood - it is crush and strain for most?

RAB

 

[bob777]

As Im new to this I only have a broad and one super going to add another tomorow been told dont need a QE is that right???

 

[SixFooter]

SixFooter,

OSR can be a bit of a pain, but better than swarms. I do swap a few frames around to make sure I can extract as much as possible at each visit. I likely wouldn't do it so much if I was doing it on a commercial basis. This time of the year they will be slowing and it will get them back in the brood. Last year I had one that I could not condense onto a single box - I could normally shift some bees across to a weaker colony if I wanted but last year the season ended abruptly.

With Warres they don't even spin out the frames after the comb is used for a couple or few cycles of brood - it is crush and strain for most?

RAB

OSR complicates things, but this year I didnt get any OSR honey, so any next year would be a bonus. I get loads of Rosebay willowherb and Balsam, and preventing swarming early on would increase yields in August. Somehow, I think leaving the QX off in the spring will make a big difference.