Queen excluder avoidance.

[Sandbee79]

Anyone else found that some colonies are reluctant to go through Queen ex this season. Have removed a couple of mine to get them into the super. I m not talking bout small colonies either. 7 -8 frames of brood all stores downstairs. Very odd.

 

[ichbinpaul]

Anyone else found that some colonies are reluctant to go through Queen ex this season. Have removed a couple of mine to get them into the super. I m not talking bout small colonies either. 7 -8 frames of brood all stores downstairs. Very odd.

I would imagine that the focus should be more on the tropical heat we have experienced, bees seem to wander just about anywhere when unhindered, but if there is an obstacle in the way and more heat above perhaps they will not bother! after all most of mine come out of the hive and hang around the bottom when its really hot in the afternoon, perhaps knackered!

 

[jd101k2000]

I am very new to beekeeping, but I initially used a queen excluded and they hadn't bothered to go up through it. Took it off after a week (in the hot weather). Now they are as happy as pie.

 

[Cazza]

Anyone else found that some colonies are reluctant to go through Queen ex this season. .

No, mine have been beehaving themselves and have no QE issues.
Cazza

 

[Ely]

I haven't used queen excluders at all this season and haven't missed them.

 

[Smorning]

Did likewise appears a lot better after researching subject it appears that they are rarely used in the US so I tried it and it appears to work ok maybe the bees like a free open space rather that putting in all that effort in squeezing through the QE. I am hoping that queen will not lay in the super but if she does so be it I will then run with 1.5 brood boxes.

 

[Walrus]

I have QX on my wood hives and not the poly hive. No probs on either. It definitely helps to use drawn comb IMO.

 

[HM Honey]

Yep, removed all my exluders as the bees just werent showing any interest in the supers at all with them on. I will see the results this weekend when I check on them again.

 

[Skyhook]

I've found this, but I've been using a lot of foundation. They seem to be OK with drawn comb.


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[steve1958]

I took excluders off most of mine this year as I was giving the Bees all new foundation.
I think it helped the Bees.
However some of them did end up with the Queen laying in them,

 

[starcana]

Got exactly the same problem with one colony. Took the QE off two weeks ago and they've still not drawn the foundation even though they're making comb on top of the brood frames where there is plenty of Brood and masses of stores. About a coupe of dozen bees are in the super but they've made no impact on the foundation at all.
My other colony is onto its third super, two full and capped. Put the third super on a week ago. Plenty of work but not drawn the foundation yet but it's not been the best week in Cornwall.
Any other ideas welcome!