XP Queen Excluder Plus

[Glenviewbee]

Has anyone used these from Th*rn*s?

Unfortunately I have discovered that they seem to act as a Global Bee Excluder, not just Queen excluder.
It seems that the thickness of the plastic has an impact on the ability of the bee to work their way through the excluder. I had put a couple of these excluders on earlier in the week but when I checked today I found bees stuck in, unable to go in either direction. I had been using one in conjunction with a super - and no bees could get into the super - and the other I was using in connection with a hive unite - and I had piles of dead bees on top of the excluder unable to chew their way through and succumbing to heat exhaustion I surmise.
I also watched a couple of workers trying to negotiate the holes - and they just seemed to get stuck and unable to get any purchase. Visually the slots seem the same size as the metal excluders but there must be something else going on. I have given Th*rn*s feedback of my experience
It is very unfortunate as I had high hopes for these Excluders but now I am very hesitant to use them.

 

[snelgrove]

I use a few, cheap alternative to the wire type. Carnt say I have noticed any bees getting stuck. However, they do stick them down right across the top bars.
If you need an excluder and dosh is an issue, get them.

 

[MuswellMetro]

i had no problem with Italian crosses but I did have a problem with a Black mongrel colony that struggled to get through the plastic Queen excluders

 

[Erichalfbee]

Has anyone used these from Th*rn*s?

I saw these at the Welsh convention. I nearly put my hand in my pocket but did a quick mental tally of what I had at home and it came to "too much" already.
I did like the look of them so thanks for the heads up

 

[Glenviewbee]

I use a few, cheap alternative to the wire type.

Are the plastic excluders you use the ones with the thicker rim and spacers under the mesh? I have used the flat plastic ones without a problem, but these ones with the raised rim seem to be different.

 

[snelgrove]

Are the plastic excluders you use the ones with the thicker rim and spacers under the mesh? I have used the flat plastic ones without a problem, but these ones with the raised rim seem to be different.

Yes they are the excluder plus

 

[Glenviewbee]

Yes they are the excluder plus

I wonder why my bees were having such a problem then I watched a couple of bees where they seemed to slip on the plastic so the abdomen went through, but the thorax wouldn't and then they couldn't get a purchase to then get out of the slots.

 

[snelgrove]

I wonder why my bees were having such a problem then I watched a couple of bees where they seemed to slip on the plastic so the abdomen went through, but the thorax wouldn't and then they couldn't get a purchase to then get out of the slots.

Like I have said cheap alternative. If you want perfection then spend money

 

[Glenviewbee]

My go to excluder is the framed wired one - I tried the Excluder Plus as it looked interesting. I was just wondering if my experience of their use was isolated or whether others had had problems as well.

 

[snelgrove]

My go to excluder is the framed wired one - I tried the Excluder Plus as it looked interesting. I was just wondering if my experience of their use was isolated or whether others had had problems as well.

Food for thought for next season, supers will be off in a month or so. Flown over this season.

 

[sherwood]

Slightly of subject here but the best queen excluder I have discovered are the heavy duty zinc galvanised ones that Nat Bee S?????? sell. They are rigid and are without frame and brilliant when using a top space perhaps not so great for bottom space.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Has anyone used these from Th*rn*s?

Yes, and had no problems with them at all, although would prefer the rim to of been one solid piece of plastic.

 

[bpmurray]

So what is the best QX? I have wooden hives in which I use the usual wooden frame with steel wires, and polys where I use the simple thin plastic with elongated holes. I'm not happy with the latter - it doesn't come out to the edge of the poly and it seems to allow rain to leak in.

Is it OK to use the wooden ones with the P####'s poly hives? I also see that they have an oversized excluder - has anyone used one of these?

 

[BMH]

I use wooden framed wire excluders and they are great.

I get them from ebay for £8.99 and you have to assemble them yourself.

Takes about 30 seconds and a bit of waterproof PVA.

Much cheaper than forking out £16/£17 for a ready assembled one.

 

[bpmurray]

I use wooden framed wire excluders and they are great.

I get them from ebay for £8.99 and you have to assemble them yourself.

Takes about 30 seconds and a bit of waterproof PVA.

Much cheaper than forking out £16/£17 for a ready assembled one.

Do you use these on poly hives or wooden hives?

 

[Cussword]

I use wooden framed wire excluders and they are great.

I use them on my wooden hives. Unfortunately I've just bought a poly hive from Maisie's, the wired excluder needs alterations.

Something to do over the Winter

 

[BMH]

I use them on my poly hives, but they are swienty so have the same external footprint as wooden nationals.

Work a treat and not much more expensive than the plastic ones!

 

[Cussword]

That's the problem, my poly has a wider external footprint. So I'll make up a wider frame for the excluder.

 

[Teemore]

An ordinary 460mm" framed QX will be fine on the 500mm poly hives. No need to make a wider frame.

 

[Cussword]

Oh, it does fit. It will just look better when it's flush.