I haven't used it yet, but if the weather holds it won't be long.
Each breeder queen will be confined in the center smaller areas on ether side of the center solid divider. Her supporting colony on the other side of the frame excluder.
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/...reeder queens -condo/P2120550_zpsamfbgc4i.jpg
Seperate screened inner covers make access easy.
Been collecting frames of new soft comb for easy grafts. I'll insert them as needed for timed larva collections.
I actually built three of these long hives.
This one is a straight 2 queen superable hive. Queens are kept seperate by a center solid divider, bees can mingle above in center above excluder. I may even have a third queen above the excluder (with a temporary solid divider underneath) & remove her right before the flow for maximum forager force...I call this hive the 'Beast'
This one is an all in one reproductive unit.
Like a horizontal cloake board system..but with no lifting.
Breeder queen ( Or just supporting queen) in 1/3 seperated by a frame excluder.
Her frames of brood are cycled into the center section, where they mature and are capped.
Last section is the starter unit. (Shown empty) It is seperated by a frame excluder except when starting cells. Then you insert a solid divider, brush in young nurse bees form the two other sections, leave isolated for a day or two until grafts are well started, then remove the divider for a queenright finisher.
Only the oldest frames of capped brood are used to fill this section. Once they have hatched, the empty frame is cycled back to the queen to lay up again.
If more bees are needed for overcrowding of the starter section, just close up the center entrance. Starter end entrance is close to the center for easy diversion without too much orienting.
Thought you might like to see my project for this year.
Each breeder queen will be confined in the center smaller areas on ether side of the center solid divider. Her supporting colony on the other side of the frame excluder.
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/...reeder queens -condo/P2120550_zpsamfbgc4i.jpg
Seperate screened inner covers make access easy.
Been collecting frames of new soft comb for easy grafts. I'll insert them as needed for timed larva collections.
I actually built three of these long hives.
This one is a straight 2 queen superable hive. Queens are kept seperate by a center solid divider, bees can mingle above in center above excluder. I may even have a third queen above the excluder (with a temporary solid divider underneath) & remove her right before the flow for maximum forager force...I call this hive the 'Beast'
This one is an all in one reproductive unit.
Like a horizontal cloake board system..but with no lifting.
Breeder queen ( Or just supporting queen) in 1/3 seperated by a frame excluder.
Her frames of brood are cycled into the center section, where they mature and are capped.
Last section is the starter unit. (Shown empty) It is seperated by a frame excluder except when starting cells. Then you insert a solid divider, brush in young nurse bees form the two other sections, leave isolated for a day or two until grafts are well started, then remove the divider for a queenright finisher.
Only the oldest frames of capped brood are used to fill this section. Once they have hatched, the empty frame is cycled back to the queen to lay up again.
If more bees are needed for overcrowding of the starter section, just close up the center entrance. Starter end entrance is close to the center for easy diversion without too much orienting.
Thought you might like to see my project for this year.