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Manchester and District Beekeepers’ Association |
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Phone: 0161-747 7292 To contact us: Email: |
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ABOUT MDBKA / QUEEN / WORKER&DRONE / SWARMING / THE SUPER / THE HIVE / BROOD CHAMBER / PESTS & DISEASE / VARROA / AFB / EFB / SHB / CHALKBROOD / ACARINE/ HIVE PRODUCTS / WAX / BOOKS / STINGS / CONTACTS / APRIL NEWS / TUITION / SWARM COLLECTION SERVICE/ NEWSLETTER/ WAX /
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M.& D.B.K.A. |
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The Queen-excluder Queen excluders come in various forms. The one on the hive below cannot be seen as it is a perfor ated sheet of metal which fits exactly between the half brood chamber and the first Super. The spacing of the gaps in the metal sheet is 6mm which allows worker bees free access through the excluder but not the larger queen or the drones.
The Roof The roof can take several forms depending on whether the beekeeper prefers ventilation or not through the roof. If ventilation is required then grills are placed in the roof so that air flows from the en trance through the hive and out of the roof. This prevents excess internal condensation in winter which must be avoided for the colonies well being. The roof can also be sealed and insulated. This sys tem, used in conjunction with a ventilated floor will ensure any condensation will occur on the walls of the hive and run harmlessly out.
The Floor The floor can be just a sheet of wood with three raised edges, which leave the fourth side open as an entrance for the bees, but in practice there are varia tions depending on the beekeeper’s preference. With the advent of varroa mite (a parasitic infestation of honey bees) floors are now designed with a wire mesh forming the main floor area. This allows for the counting of mite drop which provides a guide to the level of mite infestation. The mesh also pro vides an increase in ventilation which some beekeepers advocate as being the best way to over-winter the bees. |
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Fig 15. Shows a typical layout of a British Standard hive in summer |
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THE HIVE |
