Queen Castle Plans

[bhfury]

Anyone have queen castle plans....I'm thinking of making some over the winter. I will be using 10 frame boxes.

[Dconrad]

I don't have any plans but I have some pics of the ones I built just split the box up in 3 equal compartments. I used 1/4 osb for my dividers

[mtndewluvr]

Dconrad...love the use of the extended dividers...clever!

[Dconrad]

Thanks .... I have to say it was not my original idea some one in the chat room was talking about it and I used the idea

DC

[bhfury]

How are you accounting for the bee space on the bottom?

[WWW]

DC, How many frames are in each section? I also like the extended dividers, well done.

[Dconrad]

[QUOTE=bhfury;880583]How are you accounting for the bee space on the bottom?[/QUOTE

I made the box 3/8" taller than the 9 5/8 box, each section will hold 3 frames

DC

[Adrian Quiney WI]

If you want to take advantage of natural swarm cells it is useful to have a castle that is an inch deeper than normal if you attach a solid bottom to it; That way those dangly queen cells you encounter that droop deep toward the bottom board can be relocated to your castle without damage.
If you don't like the idea of a deeper deep a special bottom board can be made to attach to the castle and hold the cells. I like the 3 frames per section idea. I have a couple divided 4 ways, and it is too tight for my comfort level.

[My-smokepole]

One thing I would change is entrance on different sides. One of my old boxes I watch bee bees move from one entrance to the other one they where on the same side
David

[WWW]

DC, I like the three frame design as well, another quick question, what are the larger upper holes for?

[Daniel Y]

WWW, Ventilation. They are covered with screen on the inside. Some people go with a screen bottom board also. But I have found conflicting report on the use of them. Some think that a screen bottom keeps the hive to cold for a developing and mating queen. As far as I can tell the trend is toward agreement with that thinking also.

[WWW]

OH, ok thanks, I might just have to build one of these, it's very well designed.

[MDS]

Using same style as Dconrad but have entrances on three sides and painted box different colors on each side so the bees could better orientate to their entrance. Also added 3/4 inch to box depth so I would not damage swarm cells when I move frames in. However I prefer to use a version of a nuc if planning to raise them to a full hive, otherwise I use the castle for spare queens raised from swarm cells.

[WWW]

Thank you MDS, all good advice for a well designed queen castle.

[MDS]

What would be nice is a way to feed with castle. Thinking smaller jar feeding from the top. Right now I just move in partial frames of honey. Still don't know what the results of feeding when using a castle would be. To do or not?

[WWW]

I suppose how to feed the castle would be determined by what your intent is for it, if one is going to use it to mate queens then a frame of honey would be adequate, however if one decided to use it to grow a nuc then feeding syrup or honey would be desired, possibly by a quart jar through the lid.

[bhfury]

DC has made a very nice box. Here some really good modifications suggestions... I like'em . I tried to use the multi-quote to include who made the suggestion, but I could figure out how to do it. You can make this QC cheaper then you can buy on and it sounds like it will be a better box.

If you want to take advantage of natural swarm cells it is useful to have a castle that is an inch deeper than normal if you attach a solid bottom to it; That way those dangly queen cells you encounter that droop deep toward the bottom board can be relocated to your castle without damage.

I suppose how to feed the castle would be determined by what your intent is for it, if one is going to use it to mate queens then a frame of honey would be adequate, however if one decided to use it to grow a nuc then feeding syrup or honey would be desired, possibly by a quart jar through the lid.

Using same style as Dconrad but have entrances on three sides and painted box different colors on each side so the bees could better orientate to their entrance. Also added 3/4 inch to box depth so I would not damage swarm cells when I move frames in. However I prefer to use a version of a nuc if planning to raise them to a full hive, otherwise I use the castle for spare queens raised from swarm cells.

One thing I would change is entrance on different sides. One of my old boxes I watch bee bees move from one entrance to the other one they where on the same side

[bhfury]

DC - what are widths of the individual lids that go over each section?