>
> >This works especially well if the brood in the top brood box extends
> right to the top bars and there is no honey cap above the brood.


Dave, this was the observation that I wondered whether others would
address, as the presence of a honey band seems to me to be a major factor.


> >Often I end up not needing the excluder as the bees fill the supers
> without the queen crossing the honey cap.


For many years I would take strong singles to alfalfa at start of the 2nd
cutting bloom, and place a deep of foundation over the single brood
chamber.  If I placed the bees a few days before the main flow began, the
queen would lay eggs in the newly-drawn frames above.  If the main flow was
already on when I placed the hive, the bees would draw and fill the frames
of foundation with honey before the queen could lay a single egg above.

Re Peter's question, my understanding is that foragers do not directly
deposit nectar into the combs, but rather must first pass it to a mid-aged
bee, which then carries it to the combs.  Does anyone have additional info
on this?

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html