Does anybody NOT use a Queen Excluder

[BBG]

Looking for thoughts on NOT using a Queen Excluder.

For instance, if using double or triple brood is there less of a need for a QE

 

[E1M]

I am still a novice and going to courses. My mentor always recommends using a Queen excluder and he starts a colony off with a brood and a half (that is a brood box plus a super. Then he adds further supers as required, a brood and a half is, so he states, more than enough space for the Queen to lay all she wants.

 

[oliver90owner]

Does anybody NOT use a Queen Excluder

There is always an appropriate time for using one. I don't, unless I need to exclude the queen.

Swarm avoidance in spring is a good reason (for me) to leave them off, but it does need some intervention when harvesting is imminent and to do Bailey comb exhanges. This year has seen the brood nests stay well away from the edges of the hive, so it must be seen as better for the bees, expansion-wise.

 

[sherwood]

I beleive that in america QE are often not used between the brood box and honey boxes(supers to us). This may of course be when they are using jumbo langstroths I am again not sure.

 

[drstitson]

AFAIK john hamer uses a disc of plastic sheet on top of frames!!! saves on cost of excluders but with similar effect, apparently.

 

[wightbees]

I don't.
I use double brood and more if they need it.

 

[Brosville]

Most of us (more) natural beekeepers don't use them.......

 

[Ivor Kemp]

Horrible things. Kill bees (getting stuck) and stop progression up to the supers.

 

[Mike a]

Not using them this year.

Interesting to read about using a plastic sheet Dr, have you got any more info on this please?

I assume its just a normal sheet but either holes in the four corners or the corners cut off to allow the bees access above.

 

[flemage]

I am realy suprised by the numbers of people not using one.

I certainly do, i have heard of people not using them but didnt know that its so comman.

i have (so far) always placed them when i put on a honey super as thats what i have been told to do.

I take it that the queen stops going up when she meets honey filled cells?

But what if say you have say two supers on, bottom filled with honey top one filling, then you hit june gap or what ever and they use these stores wouldnt you find that the quuen may move right up to the top and establish a brood chamber up there?

i did see on here that the quuen always likes to move up?

I do like this forum for challanging what i think is a given!!

 

[wightbees]

i don't think they would split the brood nest.
You can see it expand if they need more room.

 

[eleanor20]

I now have one hive without a QE. I had been reading this thread earlier and thought I might try it as I don't like my plastic ones and have not got round to replacing them. Anyway at some point during my inspection today I placed my lit smoker on top of said plastic QE! So decision made, no QE for that hive for a while at least!

 

[Finman]

.
I do not use.

Normally I have 3 boxes for brood. Lowest is almost full of pollen.
The queen uses next two for laying and do not go further. It is uses, it is splended queen.

when the lowest box is full of pollen, bees use pollen in late summer to rear winter bees. When I feed them for winter, the pollen box is almost empty.
I press bees to one or two box for winter.
At same time bees consume open nectar away from hive and I never need to be worried about moist honey.

When bees store honey into the brood box, I lift those frames up and I give empty combs or foundations inestead. I do not wait that bees lift.


Hives are slow to nurse, but I like giant hives. If a hive is not giant, I join small ones for main yield.
.

 

[hallshoney]

most of mine dont chap up the road has 1500 hives and he never uses them

 

[ellypatt]

I did least year but am giving it a go without this year - doesn't seem to have reduced swarming so far...

 

[richardbees]

hallshoney

I find it very surprising that a 'bee farmer' doesn't use QEs

1500 hives, how does he harvest his honey crop and be sure he's left the Q behind?

I ALWAYS use a QE

richard

 

[Hivemaker.]

I find it very surprising that a 'bee farmer' doesn't use QEs
I ALWAYS use a QE

You would find a lot of things surprising that beefarmers do, that you don't, i expect.

 

[richardbees]

Hivemaker

That's no doubt true but they don't have to cope with London overcrowding.

- do you not use queen excluders?

richard

 

[darrenperrett]

Once i was confident finding the Queen i stopped using them. I stick them back on in July when the swarming season is waning and i want to sort my honey out.

 

[BBG]

.
I do not use.

Normally I have 3 boxes for brood. Lowest is almost full of pollen.
The queen uses next two for laying and do not go further. It is uses, it is splended queen.

when the lowest box is full of pollen, bees use pollen in late summer to rear winter bees. When I feed them for winter, the pollen box is almost empty.
I press bees to one or two box for winter.
At same time bees consume open nectar away from hive and I never need to be worried about moist honey.

When bees store honey into the brood box, I lift those frames up and I give empty combs or foundations inestead. I do not wait that bees lift.

Hives are slow to nurse, but I like giant hives. If a hive is not giant, I join small ones for main yield.
.

We will do this over the weekend as one hive on double brood with a Queen has most frames full of honey, due to just mated Queen we think. It'll be interesting to see how they develop.

Do you reduce the size of the hive for Winter Finman?