The optimal time to add a queen excluder is simultaneous with the addition of a honey super for hive expansion. This is typically done during a nectar flow when the bees need more space to store resources.
The queen excluder is a management tool that prioritizes honey purity by restricting the queen to the lower brood chamber. To use it effectively, you must not only place the grid correctly but also "bait" the workers to move through it, preventing the upper supers from being ignored.
Steps for Proper Installation
Preparing the Frames
Before placing the hardware, you need to encourage the bees to accept the new vertical space. Remove two frames containing honey, pollen, or sealed brood from the lower brood chamber.
Replace these removed frames in the bottom box with new foundation or drawn comb.
Verifying the Queen
This is the most critical step. You must visually confirm that the queen is located in the bottom brood box.
If she is accidentally trapped above the excluder, she will lay eggs in your honey supers, defeating the purpose of the device.
Placing the Excluder and Supers
Place the queen excluder directly on top of the brood chamber. Ensure it lies completely flat; any gaps or warping will allow the queen to bypass the grid.
Place the honey super on top of the excluder. Finally, place the two frames of brood or food you removed earlier into this upper super.
Encouraging Hive Movement
The "Baiting" Principle
Worker bees are sometimes reluctant to cross a queen excluder, viewing it as a ceiling rather than a doorway.
By moving frames of brood or food above the excluder (as described in the installation steps), you draw the nurse bees and workers upwards. This establishes a connection between the boxes and ensures the colony utilizes the new space for honey storage.
Important Trade-offs and Safety Protocols
Managing Existing Brood
If you are placing an excluder on a hive that already has a super attached (and the queen has already been up there), you must account for the brood cycle.
You must wait at least 24 days before harvesting any honey from that super. This duration ensures that all worker brood (21-day cycle) and drone brood (24-day cycle) have hatched and vacated the cells.
The Winter Hazard
You must remove the queen excluder after the nectar flow ends and before winter sets in.
During winter, the bee cluster moves upward to consume honey stores and stay warm. If the excluder is left in place, the cluster will move through the grid, but the queen will be physically trapped below it. Separated from the heat of the cluster, she will freeze and die, resulting in the loss of the colony.
Making the Right Choice for Your Goal
Whether you use an excluder depends on your specific objectives for the season.
- If your primary focus is producing clean, brood-free honey: Install the excluder when adding supers, ensuring you move bait frames up to encourage workers to cross the barrier.
- If your primary focus is overwintering survival: Ensure the excluder is removed immediately after harvest so the queen can migrate freely with the cluster during cold months.
Proper timing and placement of the excluder turn a simple grid into a powerful tool for organized colony management.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Implementation Detail |
|---|---|
| Optimal Timing | During nectar flow when adding a honey super |
| Installation Step | Place excluder flat on brood chamber; verify queen is below |
| Baiting Method | Move 2 frames of food/brood above the excluder to draw workers |
| Harvest Delay | Wait 24 days if brood was previously present in supers |
| Winter Protocol | Must remove to prevent queen from freezing |
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