Mike Hayward wrote

> I then thought that the integrity of my excluder must have been compromised so
> have substituted it for a new one and will check again this coming weekend to
> see if the same problem continues.  I guess the purpose of these ramblings is
> to
> seek opinions as to what is going on.  MUST I have a queen in the top box or
> will a queen traverse through the excluder in to the top box if she desires
> extra room to lay?

Not nesessarily.  Check this weekend to see if the brood is in fact drone brood.  If so, check you recent editions of the Australasian Beekeepere where you will see an ad for researchers in Sydney after drone brood from above the excluder.  This is not drone brood that you have brought up yourself.

I had this a few years back and submitted the drone brood to the University researchers to examine.  What it is is that workers above the excluder actually lay drones.

Trevor Weatherhead
AUSTRALIA