Replacing Queen Excluder

[Richard60]

Hi, I took my Queen excluder off during the winter to allow bees to feed on super above. When do I put the queen excluder back on?

 

[mike99]

Hi, I took my Queen excluder off during the winter to allow bees to feed on super above. When do I put the queen excluder back on?

I removed the insulation and fondant cartons yesterday. I placed a QE over the brood box and added a Super on each of my hives.

 

[Ian123]

Depends how you operate, are you going to go double brood or do you keep to a single. Have you inspected yet, a good chance when you do you will find the queen has beaten you to it and is already laying in the super. I would advise find her and dropping back downstairs and then place your excluder between the 2 allow any brood to emerge before adding another brood if that’s the way you wish to go. Obviously you will have to judge when you inspect.....ian

 

[Murox]

When the bees have drawn out most of the frames in the brood box, and you want to put a honey super on.

 

[Ian123]

When the bees have drawn out most of the frames in the brood box, and you want to put a honey super on.

Going by the question it looks like he’s on a brood and a half already?

 

[Murox]

Going by the question it looks like he’s on a brood and a half already?

You're right, thats why I said 'honey super' rather than anything else, of course thats a bit ambiguous anyway I suppose.

 

[Walrus]

Depends how you operate, are you going to go double brood or do you keep to a single. Have you inspected yet, a good chance when you do you will find the queen has beaten you to it and is already laying in the super. I would advise find her and dropping back downstairs and then place your excluder between the 2 allow any brood to emerge before adding another brood if that’s the way you wish to go. Obviously you will have to judge when you inspect.....ian

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Depends how you operate, are you going to go double brood or do you keep to a single. Have you inspected yet, a good chance when you do you will find the queen has beaten you to it and is already laying in the super. I would advise find her and dropping back downstairs and then place your excluder between the 2 allow any brood to emerge before adding another brood if that’s the way you wish to go. Obviously you will have to judge when you inspect.....ian

Also depends on the strength of the colony, you don't want to be popping the queen down into the bottom box when the majority of brood is in the super if the bees are going to struggle to take care of the queen and the brood in a 'split' colony

 

[ShinySideUp]

At the end of this year take your partially filled supers and put them underneath the brood box as the queen will lay in the top of the brood box and by now (early April) all the honey will be gone and the supers (nadirs) will be empty of both honey, bees and brood. I have taken my nadirs out today and put them on the top if the brood box with a QE underneath so they are ready for the new season with a clear super in good condition.