When drone brood is discovered in flow hive frames, the primary action is to install a queen excluder between the brood box and the flow super. This prevents the queen from laying eggs in the honey storage area while allowing worker bees to pass through. Ensuring the queen remains below the excluder and providing an upper entrance for drones to exit are critical steps to avoid dead drones clogging the system. The bees will naturally clean any residual brood remnants, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
Key Points Explained:
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Install a Queen Excluder
- A queen excluder is essential to restrict the queen’s movement into the flow super, preventing further drone or worker brood in the honeycomb.
- This ensures that only worker bees can access the honey storage area, maintaining the integrity of the harvestable honey.
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Verify Queen Placement Below the Excluder
- Before sealing the hive, confirm that the queen is in the brood box and not trapped in the flow super.
- A misplaced queen could continue laying eggs in the wrong section, defeating the purpose of the excluder.
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Provide an Upper Entrance for Drones
- Drones are bulkier than worker bees and cannot pass through a standard queen excluder.
- Without an escape route, they may die inside the flow super, creating blockages and hygiene issues.
- An upper entrance allows drones to exit naturally after hatching.
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No Need for Manual Cleaning
- Bees efficiently remove leftover brood casings and cocoons from the flow hive frames.
- Manual cleaning is unnecessary and may disrupt the colony’s natural maintenance processes.
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Monitor for Future Prevention
- Regularly inspect the brood box to ensure the queen has sufficient space to lay eggs.
- Overcrowding in the brood chamber can lead to drones being laid in unintended areas.
By following these steps, beekeepers can maintain efficient honey production while supporting the colony’s natural behaviors. The self-cleaning nature of bees simplifies maintenance, making the flow hive frames a practical choice for sustainable beekeeping.
Summary Table:
| Action | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Install a queen excluder | Prevents queen from laying eggs in honey storage area. |
| Verify queen placement | Ensures queen remains in the brood box, not the flow super. |
| Provide an upper entrance | Allows drones to exit, preventing blockages and hygiene issues. |
| Avoid manual cleaning | Bees naturally clean residual brood, preserving hive efficiency. |
| Monitor brood space | Prevents overcrowding, reducing chances of drone brood in unintended areas. |
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