May I clarify my beliefs of using queen excluders on entrances to prevent
colonies swarming, or hived swarms absconding.

I am TOTALLY against the idea, and NOT supportive as some of the offline
correspondents have suggested.

My input to this thread was to question when using a queen excluder
attempting to prevent a swarm from absconding, should that swarm contain a
virgin queen, I believe one 'lady' who would not get out for a mating
flight, consequently a 'drone laying' and useless queen.

Personally cannot remember experiencing an absconding swarm and maybe,
repeat maybe, one of my methods of hive management make by boxes attractive
to the bee. That method is the use of the gas torch to sterilise all
woodware that has been brought back home. Having scraped the majority of wax
and propolis from the box it is then flamed internally, just sufficient to
discolour the wood (I'm not a beekeeping pyromaniac). Then smell the wood
and it has that very attractive aroma of wax and propolis, maybe this is
what my swarms (not confessing to many !!!) find an inviting home.

But as for pinning a steel grid over the entrance, sorry not a method I wish
to try.

Ken Hoare
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