Placing a wedge between the queen excluder and honey super

[Basswood]

I was told by a beekeeper that to improve honey production, you can place a wedge between the queen excluder and the honey super. This gives the bees a second entrance so they do not have to travel from the bottom and up through the excluder. I guess the theory is that the queen will not fly out of the hive and enter through this second entrance. My only concern would be that this might promote robbing, wax moth entrance, etc.

[Eaglerock]

I am not into giving more holes for robbers to enter. I have seen and in the 70's had a hole in the top super. But I think that gives to many places for them to guard.

[Dr.Wax]

In theory it does sound good. I would think it would be beneficial for a strong hive to relieve congestion. The foragers would not have to fight their way through the brood nest on every trip. You could leave it on during the nectar flow and off during dearths to prevent robbing.

I plan on trying it with some of my hives next year.

[Joseph Clemens]

Welcome Basswood,

There have been many recent discussions of this phenomenon:

http://beesource.com/forums/showpost...84&postcount=5

It does enhance the effect if bottom entrances are eliminated and the primary entrance is immediately above the queen excluder (once you contemplate the dynamics of this configuration the results seem logical). Any potential negative influences, especially opportunistic robbing, can be dealt with, same as usual. With wood-rimmed excluder's the super above the excluder only need be slid back about 3/8" to create this entrance.

[alpha6]

Its not moving through the brood nest that is the problem, its the bees moving through the queen excluder. We have hives with seven supers on them with a bottom entrance....doesn't seem to be a problem.