Framed excluder and bee space

[nickyjay]

Just picked up a framed QX today which had been out of stock when I bought my hive a few weeks back. The guy who owns the shop said that I should have it so it creates a top bee space above the brood box to avoid squashings. However having it this way means there will be a top bee space above the BB, then the QX, and then another bee space created under the bottom of the super, essentially creating a double bee space. When questioned he said this was fine.
Just wanted to get your opinions on this as have not encountered this double bee space option before.
N

 

[beebreeder]

I have QX with bee space on one side and others with bee space on both sides also plastic and metal ith no bee space at all and they all work fine.
kev

 

[Polyanwood]

I like the framed QEs that are flush on one side and beespace on the other.....they seem to get stuck least, but as beebreeder says, they all work.

I wonder if it is the gentleman beekeeper and purveyor of fine beekeeping equipment based in SE London who tried to tell you what he had in stock would do? He managed to charm me out of a lot of money for things I didn't need when I first started.

 

[nickyjay]

Hi Polyanwood, yes, that will be the man! The QX is flush one side and beespace the other like you say.

In G's defence, he had all QX's in stock and I decided on the upgrade from just a plastic one.

When you use these QX's, do you put the the flush side up or down? I was was going to have it up.

N

 

[susbees]

Hi Polyanwood, yes, that will be the man! The QX is flush one side and beespace the other like you say.

In G's defence, he had all QX's in stock and I decided on the upgrade from just a plastic one.

When you use these QX's, do you put the the flush side up or down? I was was going to have it up.

N

Flush side up. Which looks upside down. And I bet yours were a load more than the nice new ones I picked up from the wilds of Wales yesterday...designer Italian no less (unlike my bees). They were horrified to hear £hornes price...

 

[nickyjay]

Yes, probably much more, this is London after all! I think I paid around £15 for it. The normal plastic one was £6 which had already been paid for, so just having to pay the difference made it more palatable. Hopefully I will be more economical when building my second hive...

 

[MuswellMetro]

quick answer is yes, you have it correct, two bees spaces one either side of the wire, the bees are supposed to treat it as two separate bee spaces

but then bees dont read books,you do get some brace comb but normally not much but it varies between hives

 

[susbees]

Not so bad then. The other lot are over £17!

 

[nickyjay]

Thanks BB and MM.
Sus, out of interest, how much were yours?
N

 

[susbees]

£12.43 plus VAT...£14.91 I think that is: so much cheaper in the sticks £hornes are around £17.60 or so

 

[nickyjay]

Ok, I don't feel too robbed then! I wish I had studied harder at workwork in school now. Paying all this money for what appears to be basic cuts of wood for hive parts seems crazy. Especially when I am the one nailing it all together.

 

[susbees]

Quite so. My skills at the minute are limited to banging together supers, roofs and frames. It'll be a while before I can build my own boxes. Work body work...uurgghhh...

...and then there's finding that extra day a week....or two....

 

[Midland Beek]

.............

 

[susbees]

.............

...quite so, 05.15 start today and tomorrow. I prefer 01.38 thanks

 

[Poly Hive]

These days I just use flat excluders and find the bees get on with it quite the thing.

No bee space issues to worry about and the bees don't do anything silly.

PH

 

[Skyhook]

Just picked up a framed QX today which had been out of stock when I bought my hive a few weeks back. The guy who owns the shop said that I should have it so it creates a top bee space above the brood box to avoid squashings. However having it this way means there will be a top bee space above the BB, then the QX, and then another bee space created under the bottom of the super, essentially creating a double bee space.

The bees will respect it as 2 single bee spaces.The crucial thing is to have it the right way up- wires on top for bottom bee space, wires underneath for strange people like me who have top bee space. Otherwise it really is double space one side and they'll stick it all together.

 

[Poly Hive]

Top Beespace is far far better.

Why is the most popular hive in the world TB? Because the pros use it and it is just simply faster.

If I had the time I would machine my Poly nats to have a cut off the bottom and put a runner on top to convert them to TB. I find BB a complete faff.

PH

 

[mbc]

If I had the time I would machine my Poly nats to have a cut off the bottom and put a runner on top to convert them to TB. I find BB a complete faff.

PH

I'm trying to mentally picture shaving the bottom and lifting the top with runners and I can only see bottom bee space being created !?!

 

[susbees]

Wonder what the attrition rates are for queens with bottom beespace?

 

[victor meldrew]

Wonder what the attrition rates are for queens with bottom beespace?

I have never killed a Queen (Not that I could blame on BBspace )

JW