Tom Barrett, nearer to home for me than the majority of writers in the
States, asks whether smaller queen excluders can be used.

The answer is "Yes", lay a sheet of thick polythene, cut to leave a space of
about 2" around the edge, on top of the brood frame top bars and SELDOM
(back to church now to pray) will the queen pass it.

The problem is you lose the 'bee-space' but I suppose this could easily be
overcome by framing the polythene excluder, or even as recently suggested in
private mailings with Chris Slade, "simply lay twigs across the top bars".

Ken Hoare
Shropshire, UK.