Queen excluders: what are they for and which are the best?

Before a beekeeper begins their business, they need to acquire all the necessary equipment and tools (as we've discussed several times in other in-depth articles). One of these tools is a special grid, known as a queen excluder, which is placed inside the hive and has a specific function, as the name suggests. Let's take a closer look at what it is.

What is queen excluder?

In such a rich—and at times complex—environment as the hive, dividing the space is essential for the proper functioning and productivity of the entire hive. The queen excluder is a metal or plastic grid with bars spaced 4.22 mm apart. It is placed between the super and the nest because its primary purpose is to confine the queen bee in the nest and prevent her from passing through the super to lay her eggs.

The spaces between the bars are small enough to prevent the queen bee from passing through, but not so narrow as to prevent worker bees from entering, allowing them to move from one side to the other without difficulty. If a queen bee were to pass through, she would lay her eggs in the super frames, which are instead reserved for the honey transported by the worker bees.

All the advantages of queen exclusion

The queen excluder is an important tool, with a rather simple structure but with many advantages and functions, especially when honey stored in the honey super, it is intended for honey extraction and, therefore, for consumption. Thanks to the’exclude queen The honey extraction process is speeded up and the resulting honey will be of better quality, this is because the honey is not extracted from combs containing brood, so it does not have a honeycomb flavor.

Furthermore, super frames, which have been stored without brood, are less susceptible to wax moth attack. It's also worth mentioning a small disadvantage: the bees, on the journey between the nest and the super, are slower because they have to pass through the queen excluder mesh, and since the journey is slower, the amount of honey transported will be smaller.

The advice is therefore to use the grid only for the first few days of importation, after which a crown of honey should be left to deposit on the honeycombs of the super, so as to form a barrier for the queen's passage.

Types of queen excluders

There's no "best" queen excluder, but there is one that best suits your work method and your family's needs. The choice on the market is vast and can be confusing: the difference isn't just aesthetic, but lies in the shape, the precision of the bars, and the way the tool interacts with the bees' movement between the nest and the super.

Choosing the right model means respecting the well-being of bees, minimising the use of raw propolis on their part and make your life easier during the production season.

Queen Excluder with Frame: The Guardian of the "Spazio d'Ape"“

This model is considered by many to be the "top of the range" for the respect it shows towards the bees. Thanks to its frame (usually made of wood or rigid plastic), it guarantees a constant space of 9.5 mm. This value is not accidental: it is the famous “bee gap” discovered by Langstroth.

• AdvantagePrevents bees from crushing their bodies between the nest and the super and drastically reduces propolization. Bees feel free to move and you won't have to "fight" with the lever when inspecting your bees. beehives for beekeeping.

Frameless queen excluder: essential and practical

This is a simple flat grid that rests directly on the nest frames. It's the preferred choice for those seeking an economical and space-saving solution.

• AdvantageIt minimizes the space between the two bodies, but be careful: without the frame, the bees will tend to seal the perimeter of contact with the propolis. It's perfect for those who are good at cleaning equipment.

Steel grill and wooden frame: the professionals' choice

It's a timeless classic. The galvanized or stainless steel bars are perfectly calibrated and very smooth, allowing the workers to pass through without friction.

• Advantage: Their sturdiness is unmatched. They can be cleaned extremely easily using a gas torch or a spatula, ensuring the thorough hygiene necessary to obtain the highest quality honey during processing. honey extraction.

Plastic or PVC queen excluder: lightweight and modern

Made of high-quality engineering plastics, these queen excluders have become the standard for many hobbyist beekeepers. They are flat, flexible, and moisture-resistant.

• AdvantageThey are non-deformable and often feature holes with rounded edges, specifically designed to avoid damaging bees' wings. They are the ideal choice for those seeking practicality and a low cost without sacrificing precision.

Diaphragm queen excluder: for technical beekeeping

Unlike the others, this model is not only used to separate the honey super, but to divide the hive horizontally or to isolate specific frames within the nest.

• Advantage: It is an indispensable tool for those who want to try their hand at’ queen bee breeding or for those who apply advanced brood management techniques.

Comparison Table: Which Queen Excluder Is Right for You?

To help you decide, we've summarized the main features in this table:

When and how to use a queen excluder: the secret to a successful harvest

Knowing the right time to insert a queen excluder is almost an art that requires patience and observation. It's not just a matter of technique, but of listening to the rhythms of nature and your bees.. Adding it too early could discourage the queen from climbing to the super, while adding it too late could render its function useless if the queen has already decided to expand the brood "to the upper floors".

The ideal moment: listen to the buzz of the blossoms

Timing is everything. The secret is to observe the activity on the flight deck and the strength of the family.. Typically, the perfect time coincides with the explosion of spring colors (between March and May), when bees are in full swing and begin to collect nectar in abundance..

In practical terms, you should enter queen excluder when:

• The hive is boomingThe worker bees have occupied almost all the frames in the nest and you feel that the family is strong, healthy and ready to accumulate energy reserves.
• You decide to put down the honey superThis is the classic moment. Before placing the first super on top of the nest for seasonal production, place the grid to delimit the spaces.
• See the first signs of “whitewashing”If you notice the bees starting to build new, fresh, white wax on top of the nest frames, it means that nectar flow has begun and they need extra storage space.

How to proceed: an act of delicacy and precision

Bees work in a perfect democracy and all our interventions must be as minimally invasive as possible.. Here are the steps for an insertion that respects the balance of the hive:

1. Look for the Queen (slowly)Before placing the grid, make sure with your own eyes that the queen is in the nest body. If she were accidentally "closed" in the super, she would start laying eggs there, compromising the subsequent breeding phase. honey extraction.
2. Place the grill without pressing downPosition the queen excluder so that it is stable. If you use framed models, be sure to maintain the correct "bee space." This prevents the bees from being forced to use too much space. raw propolis to seal cracks, making future maintenance difficult.
3. The trick of the “inviting” honey super”If you're worried that bees might be reluctant to pass through the screen (the so-called "barrier effect"), try placing a pre-built frame or one with some traces of honey from the previous season in the honey super. The smell of the nectar will be an irresistible lure for the workers.

The Drone Problem: What Happens to the Males in the Hive?

When it comes to queen excluders, attention is (understandably) all focused on the hive's queen. However, there is another inhabitant who suffers the direct effects of this precious grid and who we absolutely must not overlook: the kelp.

The male hive bees are much stockier and bulkier than the tireless worker bees. The slits in the queen excluder, calibrated to the millimeter to allow foragers to easily pass through, represent a veritable impassable wall for the drones. But what happens if they get stuck "upstairs," i.e., in the honey super?

The risk of entrapment

If there are drones in the super when you insert the queen excluder, or if you have inadvertently moved frames containing male brood that are close to emerging, these individuals will become inexorably trapped. Unable to escape for their reconnaissance and mating flights, they will soon meet an untimely end.

Their trapping is not only harmful to biodiversity and the balance of the family, but also creates a significant technical and hygienic problem for the beekeeper:

• Obstruction of passages: Drones that fail to pass through the grid will eventually block the gaps, hindering the continuous flow of worker bees and drastically reducing ventilation within the hive.
• Crop failure: The presence of lifeless organic material inside the honey super risks altering the hygiene, clarity and purity of your honey even before reaching the delicate stage of honey extraction.

How to prevent and resolve the hitch

Luckily, managing this aspect is very simple: beekeeping requires patience, observation, and respect for the rhythms of nature. Here's how to proceed to safeguard your drones and your honey:

• Preventive visual inspection: Before placing the queen excluder and the honey super, carefully inspect the combs to make sure there are no drones wandering around “upstairs”.
• Isolation of the male brood: Absolutely avoid moving frames containing drone brood from the main brood chamber to the super. The brood should remain confined to the lower area, along with the queen.
• The escape route (the beekeeper's trick): If, inspecting the hive in the days following installation, you notice that some males are trapped, there's a quick fix. Choose a nice, sunny day and, during the hottest hours of the day, slightly raise the super or gently move the queen excluder for a few minutes. The drones, naturally attracted by the light and the urge to fly, will quickly emerge, freeing the grid.

The role of these insects, often unfairly considered the "lazy ones" of the hive, is actually crucial to the genetics, thermoregulation, and serenity of the entire colony. If you'd like to explore their fascinating world more closely, I invite you to read our in-depth article: The drone: all the secrets about the male bee.

Excluderegina: What to do after use

An aspect not to be forgotten and always monitored is the cleaning of the queen excluder. Cleaning of wax and propolis residues is usually done in winter., propolis The present one is hardened and therefore comes off more easily with the use of a stainless steel scraper (which can be purchased together with the queen excluder).

Be careful at this stage, otherwise you could force the mesh of the grate! The queen excluder can be easily cleaned and sanitized using a pressure washer with hot water, up to about 110°C (230°F). Especially if you opt for a steel model, which is more durable, cleaning operations can be more aggressive.

How to Clean a Queen Excluder: Hygiene and End-of-Season Maintenance

When summer comes to an end and the operations are concluded honey extraction, it's time to remove the queen excluder. You'll find it almost unrecognizable: it's often completely encrusted with wax and a thick layer of raw propolis.

Bees, in fact, tend to seal any cracks they perceive as "out of proportion." However, cleaning this grid is not just an aesthetic issue, but a fundamental duty for every beekeeper. A dirty queen excluder reduces the diameter of the cracks (the famous 4.22 mm), hindering the passage of worker bees the following season and encouraging the proliferation of pathogens and bee diseases.

So, how do you restore your equipment to its original splendor without too much effort? The method varies radically depending on the material you choose.

Purification by fire (Only for pure metal)

If you've opted for a queen excluder made entirely of steel (stainless steel or galvanized), without wooden or plastic frames, you have the fastest and most sterilizing method of all: the flame.

• How to proceed: Use a simple gas torch, quickly passing it over the metal rods. The wax will melt instantly and the propolis will burn, charring. Afterward, simply brush the grill with a wire brush to restore it to its original state.
• Attention: Keep the flame moving so as not to deform the metal and, of course, work safely away from flammable materials.

The hot bath (Ideal for plastic and PVC)

Plastic queen excluders are fantastic for their lightweight design, but they absolutely cannot tolerate open flames. Scraping them cold with a beekeeping tool is not recommended, as you risk scratching the plastic, creating rough edges that could injure the bees.

• How to proceed: The ideal solution is to soak it in a large tub of very hot water (but not boiling, to avoid deforming the technopolymer) mixed with a specific beekeeping detergent or Solvay soda (sodium carbonate). Let it sit for a few hours.
• The mechanical alternative: Using a hot water pressure washer is equally great for “blasting” away the wax and propolis in seconds, keeping the beekeeping equipment intact.

The gentle and ecological method: the Solar Wax Melter

If you are a lover of natural and zero energy impact solutions, and you have some time on your hands, the sun is your best ally.

• How to proceed: Insert the encrusted queen excluder directly into your solar wax melter during the hottest days. The sun's rays will gently melt the wax, which will flow into the appropriate tray (you can even recover it for the renewal of the hive wax). Finally, simply clean the softened residue with a rough cloth or brush. This method is also perfect for wooden-framed queen excluders.

Taking care of your equipment with consistency and dedication means ensuring your bees have a healthy environment to live in and thrive the following year. In beekeeping, cleanliness is always the first step to a successful harvest!

The big debate: does queen excluders harm bees?

In the world of beekeeping, as in every tradition tied to nature, opinions are often contrasting and debates are heated. One of the oldest and most recurring discussions among beekeepers concerns this very tool: is the queen excluder truly harmless or does it represent an unnatural forcing that stresses and harms our beloved bees?

Among detractors, it is not uncommon to hear this grill called by the derogatory term “honey excluders”. The theory behind this skepticism holds that forcing foraging bees to continually pass through narrow gaps slows their work, discourages nectar storage in the honey super, and, in the worst case, causes physical damage to their delicate wings.

But what is the scientific and practical truth? Let's dispel some myths, always with the profound respect we owe these extraordinary insects.

The myth of the psychological and physical “barrier”

The belief that the screen slows honey production often stems from a misjudgment. If a family refuses to go to the honey super after the queen excluder has been inserted, the problem is almost never the screen itself. The real causes are usually different:

• The family is not ready yet: If the nest is not fully staffed and “saturated”, the bees will not feel the urge to expand upwards.
• Poor nectar flow: Bees are rational workers; if there isn't enough nectar outside, they won't waste energy building new wax in the honey super.
• Health problems: A colony weakened perhaps by Varroa or other mites bee diseases will not have the strength to store extra supplies.

A strong, healthy, and thriving family will not be intimidated by a queen excluder and will cross the threshold without the slightest hesitation.

The quality of the materials makes the difference

There is some truth to the concerns about physical harm, but it all depends on the quality of equipment. Poorly made metal or plastic queen excluders, made from cheap, unfinished materials, may have burrs or sharp edges. Repeated use could actually cause micro-abrasions on the bees' bodies or wings.

On the contrary, high-quality instruments (with perfectly smooth, rounded, and calibrated bars) are designed to eliminate any friction. To ensure maximum well-being, always choose certified and carefully finished products.

Queen exclusion as a protection tool

In fact, if we look at the issue from a broader perspective, the use of queen excluder is a real act of treatment. Even the protocols organic beekeeping They admit and recommend its use, because the benefits for the hygiene and health of the hive far outweigh the alleged inconveniences.

By clearly separating the nest from the honey super, we protect all the bee castes and especially the vulnerable brood. Without the queen excluder, the queen would lay her eggs in the super frames: at harvest time, we risk removing or irreparably damaging thousands of larvae. From this perspective, the grid is not a prison, but a safe boundary that allows us to collaborate with the hive by collecting only the surplus honey, without invading and disrupting their nursery.