Hive Top Queen Excluder

thingiverse

This device is a queen exclusion tool that fits snugly into the standard 2-inch diameter hole found in most Langstroth-style inner covers. The tool is a collared ring that slides into the hole with precision, featuring rods of 1 millimeter in diameter spaced at exactly 4.1 millimeters apart. This precise gap size allows worker bees to move freely through the device while blocking the passage for queens. This queen exclusion tool has several potential applications but is best suited for specialized use cases. Some possible uses include: 1) When used in conjunction with a queen-excluding entrance reducer, this tool can be employed to prevent queens from leaving with swarms. Although not an ideal method for controlling swarming in the spring, it can serve as a temporary measure until a thorough hive inspection is conducted. 2) It can be utilized to force a queen to work within a specific box. By placing an inner cover with this tool between boxes, you can keep your queen confined to one box while still allowing worker bees access to care for brood in other boxes. 3) As a management tool for merging two colonies (or a swarm with a colony), it helps maintain the queen's presence in the correct box without interfering with brood-raising in any of the boxes. 4) It can be used to locate your queen. Place an inner cover with this tool between suspected queen-containing boxes and wait 4-5 days. The box with the queen will contain eggs, while those without a queen will only have larva and capped brood.