Queen Castle

[NDnewbeek]

Last weekend's project: a queen castle

It will hold three 3-frame mini nucs. I built it with a 3/4" space on the bottom to accommodate swarm cells that might be hanging off of the bottom of the frames. The 'inner covers' lie directly on the tops of the frames. On one end, there is the opening to the middle nuc, the other end has openings for the side nucs at the corners. All openings can be rotated closed so that the box can be transported with bees in it. The bottom is solid and permanently attached - so I can also pull the dividers and use it as a swarm collection box. With the dividers pulled, it is a standard 10 frame deep hive body.

I haven't decided whether or not to drill vent holes for the nucs. Opinions?

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

How many inches are between each divider? I messed up a bunch the other day by not measuring right.

[winevines]

I am no queen rearing expert, but I did use a box quite similar to this, as made by Kelley Bee last year. Worked great and I was thankful for the vent holes. About half dollar size or a bit smaller with screen. But this is Virginia, hot and humid.

[NDnewbeek]

How many inches are between each divider? I messed up a bunch the other day by not measuring right.

Each chamber is 4-3/4" wide, measured from the end of the RABBET! So that would put the dividers grooves at 5-1/2" from end of the board (assuming a 3/4" rabbet). I measured, marked and cut from one end and then from the other - the middle came out just about right doing it that way. I cut the grooves on either side of 5-1/2" to give me 1/8" grooves for dividers.

[honeyman46408]

I built some castles and they are divided into 4 equal spaces seperated by 1/4" plywood with 3/4 entrance holes and 3/4 vent holes with #8 wire, one I made with the entrances all on the end 2 on one and 2 on the other with the vents on opisite ends, I made another with the entrances 2 on the ends and 2 on the sides.
The 2 frame spaces work out well but it must bee warm weather before you can raise a queen from a cell in them.

[Vance G]

Hey Mike thanks for the idea! I have deeps coming from Western Bee Monday and I think I will heavily plagarize your work! Opinions all--Would it be an improvement or a bad idea to put double screens in for partitions to enhance heat sharing??? On the vent holes, I used to like to put the screen on the inside of the box and a soup can lid screwed on with a panhead screw from one side so it will pivot open and closed on the outside.

[feltze]

I'm making my first "castle" Based on the standard box size, I added 3/4" dividers making 4 equal sections each holding 2 frames. The spacing seems just right.


For measurements Using a standard deep body dimension I just measured to the center, placed a 3/4" divider secured it, then measured the center of the remaning space on each side and secured them.

For North Carolina, what would the recommendation for vents be? Both top and bottom? or just bottom?

What is the recommended enterance hole diameter? 3/8"?

[rrussell6870]

Nice job. We have tons of "threeways" as we call them... I prefer mediums, using shallow frames (with a flush board for a bottom)... three compartments works best for us because cd traps can't fit in a four compartment unit and the extra frame gives more room for the queen to lay between cycles.