How to make a queen introducer from recycled materials

[The Apprentices]

Cut a piece of timber 75 - 45 - 20.

Mark off the centre lines on both ends and top side.

Mark two more lines either side at the ends 6.5mm either side of centre line.

Drill two 10.00mm holes from either end first to a depth of 25.00mm.

Mark top side with a compass at 25.00mm then again at either side so the tree circles cross over.

Drill the three holes in top to merge with the bottom of the previous 10.00mm holes to leave a solid bottom.

Cover opening with any suitable mesh, I used an old fly screen from a cupboard I kept from years back.

Secure with two drawing pins.

= 1 X queen introductory cage for 50 pence.

 

[The Apprentices]

Notice the main chamber bottom is level with the bottom edge of the two 10.00mm side entrances.
Cut some 10.00mm wooden dowels to block the ends where needed.

 

[Milfoil]

That's excellent and thank you for the photos.

Sorry to be such a numbscull but I'm new to this and still learning . . . but why are two holes needed in the side? I understand one will be blocked with candy or suchlike but what about the other?

 

[The Apprentices]

That's excellent and thank you for the photos.

Sorry to be such a numbscull but I'm new to this and still learning . . . but why are two holes needed in the side? I understand one will be blocked with candy or suchlike but what about the other?

The other holes can be filled with candy too, or simply stopped with a dowel/rod and the holes right through make cleaning thing easier afterwards.

I find that more candy places the more bees can be involved in eating their way to their new found freinds inside, like humans bees are social creatures and the more the merrier it can be.

There is no hard and fast rules in equipment, this version is a copy of an old one from a very old book I have and is cheap to make and works well, in this over commercialised world I'm all for saving money.

 

[Milfoil]

Ah, I understand. Thanks for the explanation.