Horizontal hive

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Do you have to put queen excludes on horizontal hives
You don'r HAVE to use a queen excluder in any hive - it's a convenience tool for the beekeeper. I found in my Long deep hive that the honey is stored in frames at either side of the brood area - if you move a capped frame of honey outwards and replace it with an empty one you will gradually end up with the frames of honey at the ends of the hive so there is little need for a queen excluder.
 
You don'r HAVE to use a queen excluder in any hive - it's a convenience tool for the beekeeper. I found in my Long deep hive that the honey is stored in frames at either side of the brood area - if you move a capped frame of honey outwards and replace it with an empty one you will gradually end up with the frames of honey at the ends of the hive so there is little need for a queen excluder.


Whereas when I ran horizontal hives, I had an entrance at the end of the hive (I think Philip has middle ones) so the bees stored all their honey at one side... and then swarmed when they had no room! Never used a QE in horizontal hives: bees organised it very well.
 
Ah, but I can add supers to my long hive so I allow the brood to expand in the main hive body and stack supers on top. They do seem to prefer to put stores above the brood area.
 
The size of frame you use does influence things, I utilise deeper than usual frames so they can build the honey arc above and still have room for brood under it. During a good flow they expand honey storage sideways, which is a reason why many long hives are made either with an entrance that can be made wider as the season progresses, to give bees easy access, or with an entrance at either end.
 
Beautiifully made long hive but at £565 + £50 delivery it's a lot of investment in a hive type (from my experience) does not produce a large crop of honey, It incorporates some of the design elements I put into my LDH getting on for 10 years ago now. I would have included entrances at both ends and a middle entrance as well, insulation on top of the crown boards essential. I would have had solid plugs in the crown boards not mesh ones. If I had an unlimited budget I would love on ... sadly I doubt that would ever happen and my £20 reclaimed materials LDH will have to suffice ...
 
Whereas when I ran horizontal hives, I had an entrance at the end of the hive (I think Philip has middle ones) so the bees stored all their honey at one side... and then swarmed when they had no room! Never used a QE in horizontal hives: bees organised it very well.
Yes ... the main entrance is in the centre - however, there are second entrances (normally closed with corks) at either end on diametrically opposed sides.
 
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