Queen Excluder Orientation?

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May 30, 2011
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Location
Ewerby Thorpe, Lincolnshire
Hive Type
National
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As a complete new bee, I was looking at the Queen Excluder with its long slots in relation to the brood chamber beneath. My question is, does the way the QE is placed in relation to the frames below matter i.e. right angles to the frames below or in line and parallel with them?

Any help much appreciated
 
As a complete new bee, I was looking at the Queen Excluder with its long slots in relation to the brood chamber beneath. My question is, does the way the QE is placed in relation to the frames below matter i.e. right angles to the frames below or in line and parallel with them?

Any help much appreciated

place the holes 90 digrees to the frames, so they are not running the same direction
 
i run mine the same direction as the brood frames.
well at least you can only get 2 options with this one! :)
 
The wires in a WBC 'excluder run parallel to the frames.
As long as the bees can get through then it doesn't really matter.
 
Hi folks,
I'm very new to beekeeping and have been reading this thread with interest.
Would it be possible to fit a frame onto a slotted excluder to create beespace below it so that it doesn't matter about orientation?
If so what thickness would you advise.

Tim
 
Hi folks,
I'm very new to beekeeping and have been reading this thread with interest.
Would it be possible to fit a frame onto a slotted excluder to create beespace below it so that it doesn't matter about orientation?
If so what thickness would you advise.

Tim

These are available from the major stockists (framed excluders) - I would assume 1 bee space (6-9mm)
 
i run mine the same direction as the brood frames.
well at least you can only get 2 options with this one! :)
Not so fast MrB
I think the theory depends a lot on whether you have top or bottom beespace - with bottom beespace the excluder could be resting on the top of the frames therefore (let's use wire frames in this instance) if you run the wires parallel to the frames you could end up with the wire right over the beespace between the two frames making the gap even narrower so the bees can't pass through, if the wires are at right angles you should always have a space the width of the gap between the frames by the width between the wires (or holes or whatever) with top beespace it wouldn't matter so much.
Wahey - now you have four options!! :party:
 
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I've tossed my coin and it's come up heads. But I have forgotten if thats 'in line' or 'across'. Help !!
 
Not so fast MrB
I think the theory depends a lot on whether you have top or bottom beespace - with bottom beespace the excluder could be resting on the top of the frames therefore (let's use wire frames in this instance) if you run the wires parallel to the frames you could end up with the wire right over the beespace between the two frames making the gap even narrower so the bees can't pass through, if the wires are at right angles you should always have a space the width of the gap between the frames by the width between the wires (or holes or whatever) with top beespace it wouldn't matter so much.

I was going to say the same thing as I run top space but then what about the frames in the box above. They would be resting on the excluder (unless it is a framed wire one)
 
I was going to say the same thing as I run top space but then what about the frames in the box above. They would be resting on the excluder (unless it is a framed wire one)

Good point - so the evidence seems to be weighted towards wires at 90 degrees to the frames. Are we still on two,four or five options?
Discuss!:D
 
Hi folks,
I'm very new to beekeeping and have been reading this thread with interest.
Would it be possible to fit a frame onto a slotted excluder to create beespace below it so that it doesn't matter about orientation?
If so what thickness would you advise.

Tim

One thought I read about the wooden frames (being just in total 2 bee space thick) is they are liable to break easily when being prized off due to being propolised in place. hence the metal framed ones available
 
Just look on the manufacturer/suppliers websites

Slotted - parallel with top bars. Wires - perpenduicular.

Need to stop arguing and start asking the experts - they have been making them years. Think Langstroth or any of the rectangular hives and check them out. The only one argued about is the square National. All the rest are fixed at manufacture!

RAB
 
Just look on the manufacturer/suppliers websites

Slotted - parallel with top bars. Wires - perpenduicular.

Need to stop arguing and start asking the experts - they have been making them years. Think Langstroth or any of the rectangular hives and check them out. The only one argued about is the square National. All the rest are fixed at manufacture!

RAB

not worthy That's telling us - thanks RAB.
Don't worry I won't be throwing my toys out of the pram or refusing to play anymore. I think your posting style is forthright to the point and a breath of fresh air (and yes, to quote Spike Milligan on HRH the Prince of Wales, i can be a snivelling little sh*t at times):biggrinjester:
 
I always run my with the wires in line with the frames as this seemed the natural way.
I used WBC hive and I would have to double check but I don't think it would fit if I turned it 90 degrees as one side there would be a gap and the side next to it would have a gap for the queen to pass through!
 
Yep, direct and to the point. Tried to be cosy to a poster last night and they still threw their toys out of the pram. Some could not argue (fight?) themselves out of a brown paper bag as the old saying goes.

They would not have any realisation or understanding that my crownboards (plain 9mm thick ply sheets) are crownboards and cannot get used as clearer boards or feeder boards. Further, try to use PH's clearer boards as crownboards? No thanks. And most of my feeders are Ashforths anyway, so a feeder board is often unecessary!

Back to queen excluders. Same here. You cannot get a Langstroth Q/E on the wrong way! (Well maybe some would try!). There have been far more Langstroths produced world-wide than Nationals. The WBCs follow the same format, too. Fairly simple to sort out, no tossing of coins needed, just a bit of effort to observe how the rest do it.

Just look at the Th*rne catalogue.

RAB
 
Yep, direct and to the point. Tried to be cosy to a poster last night and they still threw their toys out of the pram. Some could not argue (fight?) themselves out of a brown paper bag as the old saying goes.

They would not have any realisation or understanding that my crownboards (plain 9mm thick ply sheets) are crownboards and cannot get used as clearer boards or feeder boards. Further, try to use PH's clearer boards as crownboards? No thanks. And most of my feeders are Ashforths anyway, so a feeder board is often unecessary!


Ha ha, priceless. First I believe I did argue (fight?) my corner, second how did I throw my toys out of the pram? Because I didn't like your patronising comments? And lastly why on earth would I refer to YOUR crownboards? It was you who said they couldnt understand what I was saying, and then proceeded to demonstrate you understood exactly what I was saying. Thornes CROWN BOARDS have holes in them so they can be used as both clearer boards AND feeder boards. Thats why a lot of people buy them, as they are versatile.

You are entitled to use whatever equipment you want, but the FACT I can use my crown boards as clearer boards remains that, a FACT.

Also, did you check out the article on p.10 of this month's BBKA news? I quote "prepare the clearer board, which is a crown board fitted with either porter bee escapes in the oval holes, or diamond escapes.."

and

"The clearer board is placed underneath the super(s) you wish to clear and on top of the hive in place of the standard crown board."

and, wrt your assertion that the roof and not the crown board are viewed as part of the hive by the bees..

"These substances (pheramones) are contained in a volume that is bounded by the floor, the brood and the super boxes and the crown board. From the point of view of the bee, this volume is inside and subject to the mechanisms that regulate the colony. Anything not inside this volume is outside and is a potential source of forage etc. Note that anything that we regard as being part of the hive but is above the crown board is regarded as being outside by the bees."

So, given all that, perhaps I'm not the noob you think I am, and also perhaps YOU still have a few things you can learn?
 
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