Hi All

Following on from
> > http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HBE/03-049.pdf
which has considerable data on drone fertility and sperm count within mated
queens.

We in UK have been concerned about falling levels of fertility in drones for
some time and have been developing methods to enable known age and parantage
drones to be nursed within cages that have excluder grid over the faces of
the comb. These excluders are not 'queen excluders', but are similar except
that they have a wider spacing that allows worker access much more freely
than if queen excluder is used, but still retain the drones. The greater
access allows the drones to be nurtured more readily and nourished more
intensively and it helps to keep up the quality of drones used for II.

A batch of panels of Drone Excluder (Dronex) to suit National, Commercial
and Langstroth hive sizes are in process of being manufactured to the design
on the drawing...
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/dronex/dronexfull.html

I also designed a cassette type frame for using it (the drawing is for the
B.S. National size, but the principle is the same for Langstroth)...
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/droneframe.html
This design draws heavily on techniques developed by John Atkinson.

The woodwork for the frame is detailed on...
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman/dronex/dronewoodwork.html
these details will help in visualising the structure of the frame itself,
the design of the Dronex panel also lends itself to being used in half width
frames of National, Commercial & Langstroth sizes.

The new design is avialable in National, Commercial and Langstroth sizes
that will cover one side of a frame. (two required per full frame).

Cost is only £2.75 + VAT each = £3.23 in VAT (Price in Sterling, Euros and
dollars according to exchange rate at time of despatch). Todays rate would
be $5.40 each

The price is the same for all sizes.
Carriage is extra at cost according to ordered quantity.

It is not too late to get on this 'band wagon', the deal is non profit
making, and it will be some time before another batch is likely to be
manufactured.

Please express any interest 'OFF LIST' as this text is bordering on an
advert.

Best Regards & 73s, Dave Cushman... G8MZY
Beekeeping and Bee Breeding Website
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman

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