plastic queen excluders

[Bishop bee]

Hi everyone, have just joinned and am new to this sort of thing. Quick question, has anyone used plastic queen excluders and what did you think of them?

 

[Hivemaker.]

I used 30 or so of the plastic grid type last summer, sold by Wynn Jones, seemed to be okay to me.

 

[tonybloke]

fine for bottom bee space!!

 

[VEG]

no problems with them

 

[broandy]

Yep I use 31 or so of them all the time now

 

[Vergilius]

Same as metal ones...

Ben P

 

[grizzly]

Ive used both, but i do prefer the rigid metal type.

 

[Bishop bee]

thanks for the reply got wire ones at the minute but a bit worse for wear I think Ill give them a go

 

[oliver90owner]

but a bit worse for wear

Assuming you are refering to the wire ones and not the original post, beware of the wire spacing. If the wires are bent, she will likely find her way upstairs. If a small area is damaged it can simply be covered over before use.

Wire excluders are generally the more expensive type, so must have some adantage for beekeepers to buy them - they must be better! Less wear and tear on the bees as they pass through is the usual qualitative claim, but not sure of the quantitative value for this. I use them sometimes and they are certainly much better than the other types for top-space boxes.

You can easily check the wires with a couple of (go and no-go) drill bits, if not sure of dimensions.

Regards, RAB

 

[MuswellMetro]

As plastic excluders do not have bee space biult in, i found that because the hives that i have propolises everything they weld them to the top of the frames,

So you have to be careful and twist off the excluder rather than just lift, otherwise you lift the brood frames , much worst than just brace comb stuck

 

[Vergilius]

As a bottom space beek I find that the problem arises when I come to replace the QE at the end of an inspection. It is quite tricky to replace my wired, no bee space excluder without squashing and agitating bees on top of the brood frames. I do find that sliding the QE on removes a good amount of them...

Ben P

 

[psafloyd]

As plastic excluders do not have bee space biult in, i found that because the hives that i have propolises everything they weld them to the top of the frames,

So you have to be careful and twist off the excluder rather than just lift, otherwise you lift the brood frames , much worst than just brace comb stuck

Ah, thanks. I'll have to watch for that as I bought a couple of plastic ones for my arsenal in the T's sale.

I felt the amount of money I have spent on this stuff this year without any return as yet was enough.

 

[onriver]

I've had similar problems with plastic QEs being propolised onto the tops of frames, as well as squashing bees when replacing and have been wondering about adding spacers - anybody else tried this?

 

[Black Comb]

I bought wire ones instead.

 

[broandy]

I've had similar problems with plastic QEs being propolised onto the tops of frames, as well as squashing bees when replacing and have been wondering about adding spacers - anybody else tried this?

You could always make a small frame for them which would help

 

[oliver90owner]

Framing needs to be rigid enough to keep the bee space produced (if that is what you are suggesting) all the way across the box.

The flexible steel slotted excluders sort of 'peel away' from the frames. I hear (have none myself) that the plastic ones spring and sudenly let go of the grip on the top bars.

I doubt a small frame would make matters much better. But someone must have tried it.....

Regards, RAB

 

[Finman]

.
What ever it is, it needs frames that the excluder does not squeeze the bees or queen.

Plastic excluder works fine. They are widely used.

 

[drstitson]

not all metal excluders are framed (many slotted zinc ones aren't).

if having problems then a £5 strip of 9mmx20mm planed timber from local DIY barn will produce a simple frame with beespace. you can always run a strip across middle too for rigidity.

 

[Hombre]

I use plastic Queen excluders and find them to be just fine on bottom bee space 14x12s. To avoid squashing bees, what is needed isn't framing, but a little smoke to get the girls to go down between the frames. A gentle brush with the hand will displace stragglers on the sides of the box.

Relatively cheap, they don't bend out of shape like the perforated zinc which I find to be a bit sharp for my liking. I'm not enamoured by the wire ones as they are expensive and any framing is likely to become fragile as it ages. Biggest problem is effectively cleaning off all the wax, but that's just a matter of diligence.

Like all Qx, peel them off carefully and you won't lift frames or allow it to spring as it comes free.

 

[Finman]

not all metal excluders are framed .

They are if you frame them.