[greybarn]

I run 10 frame double deeps for nests, a queen excluder then mediums for harvesting. I have one hive that just doesn't seem to want to pass through the queen excluder. The nest is packed full of bees (very packed) with only a hand full of bees up top. Bearding at this point is a continuous. The two mediums in place have a mix of built out comb and foundation. Any thoughts as to why they won't make the jump?

Thanks,
William in NH

 

[Radar]

Try taking excluder off for a day or two, but be sure to have the queen below when you put excluder back on

 

[LAlldredge]

I'm with Radar- Until this year I was sold on QE's. I'm being flexible in a cold weak flow. Took QE's off a couple of weeks ago and may leave them off this year. They need every advantage to build stores. Next year and in a stronger flow I may put them back on. I run a medium, deep, mediums over config. Queens are staying in the single deep by the way. I was concerned about management being more difficult but it's been easier and less stressful on the bees.

 

[crofter]

It would help if we knew your location. I have had some trouble getting the bees in double deeps to start on the supers above excluder and they are drawn comb. The weather had been unusually cool. Hives running single deeps no problems. They seem to have to get the doubles quite full before they move up.

 

[Brandon O]

I’m in no way experienced in this matter. But I had a full box of bees in my single deep and put the excluder on with a full box of Undrawn foundation. Did not find a single bee up there for days.
I took the advice from a post here on bee source and put a frame of brood above the excluder with the bees on it. ( made sure Queen was still in the bottom box. I also put a frame that had mostly honey and uncapped nectar on it above the excluder.
The bees will move through excluder to keep brood warm. And hopefully get used to moving through. Brood will hatch out and they will backfill with honey.
Seemed to work
I now have bees drawing comb and moving through excluder. Lots of bees on the undrawn frames checking it out as well.
So I think it was a success.

 

[gone2seed]

Here are a couple of things you might try. Put queen in bottom box and QE on top of bottom box. Another trick I use is to drill a one inch hole in the top super for a top entrance. This gets their attention up top.

 

[cyber]

Had the same problem. A upper entrance helped a lot. You can use an Imirie shim, drill a small hole (that you can fill with a cork if not needed), or just turn your inner cover upside down to provide a small upper entrance.

 

[Robert Holcombe]

crofter - I may be crazy but insulate the supers( or more) ; maybe just top insulation no top vent. It just might help. I have seen no resistance to going up. Even to draw out frames last year. In fact a couple of hives skipped over the lower supers and started top down during the earlier part of Spring.

Guess I am lucky as my larger hives have foraged well already, weaker ones have filled out their winter medium above a deep. Lucky part is the late Spring drought ended with days of fog, thunderstorms and 36 hours of off-on rain - everything loved it. Now we are heading for a sunny, warm summer stretch.

 

[crofter]

crofter - I may be crazy but insulate the supers( or more) ; maybe just top insulation no top vent. It just might help. I have seen no resistance to going up. Even to draw out frames last year. In fact a couple of hives skipped over the lower supers and started top down during the earlier part of Spring.

Guess I am lucky as my larger hives have foraged well already, weaker ones have filled out their winter medium above a deep. Lucky part is the late Spring drought ended with days of fog, thunderstorms and 36 hours of off-on rain - everything loved it. Now we are heading for a sunny, warm summer stretch.

I do believe it would have helped to keep insulation on, including supers, but as my hives were pushed together and shared wrappings it was not feasible. We had unusually cool spring and did not get usual weather till a week ago. They have changed gears the last few days.

No question the population comes up quicker when they dont have to struggle to maintain optimum hive temps. It limits brood rearing and wax making. Until the living space gets pretty full they are not inclined to draw comb in supers or make much honey.

 

[greybarn]

Thanks for all the input beekeepers.

Before I left yard last evening I switched placement of box three and four. When I went to yard tonight to remove the QE to my surprise I found that the bees figured out how to get through the excluder, or they are a top down hive, or they just needed some fresh air, maybe a few days before a full moon they do these things, or ...
As I approached the hive I thought that they may have swarmed because the usual bearding was not present. They did not and now the hive has normal bee coverage throughout and they are working on three and four. Go figure!

Once again thank you all.