Excluder Size

[Andy Kirby]

Can anyone help with excluder sizes.

I am curently looking into taking up beekeeping and have been reviewing hives & designs. The source info at this site has been most useful. The information that curently eludes me is the size of and shape of holes in excluders.

There appears to be a bewildersin variety of types slotted, wire round holes etc

Which is most effective and dose least damage to the bees. Does the size vary for diferent strains and so on.

The FAQ'a I have rooted through all seem to miss this bit, whilst excluder use appears to be prolific..

Help


Cheers

Andy kIrby

[Andrey]

For a three years I used exluders that I bought from http://www.mannlakeltd.com/index.html
$9.95 - woodbound
$5.95 - metalbound
and they work well. If you get Woodbound make sure you pain it.

Andrey

[Dee A. Lusby]

Hi Andy

Over the years excluders have gone through many styling changes and sizes depending upon where you live.

I think from what I am reading here you live in the UK.

Dave Cushman would be about one of the most knowledgable beekeepers I would know that could give you insite on what sizing is best for you to use.

Currently we have been discussing this very topic on the BioBee daily email discussion group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BiologicalBeekeeping

Also being discussed are the various changes done for woodenware bee equipment for spacing also as bees have been artificialized bigger, because some believe that bigger bees gather more honey.

Dee -