In beekeeping management, the queen excluder is an important but often misunderstood tool.
If you place it too early, it can limit your colony’s growth. Place it too late, and the queen may lay eggs in your honey supers — making honey extraction a sticky problem.
So, when is the best time to add the queen excluder?
Let’s explore the right timing, reasons, and tips for using it effectively.
🔍 1. What Does a Queen Excluder Do?
A queen excluder is a metal or plastic grid placed between the brood box (Deep Box) and the super box.
Its design allows worker bees to pass through freely while blocking the queen, whose body is larger.
This keeps the honey supers free of brood, making honey harvesting easier and cleaner.
Related Keywords:
stainless steel queen excluder, beehive kit, 10 frame beehive, 8 frame beehive, Langstroth hive
🕐 2. The Right Time to Add the Queen Excluder
Timing is key! Follow these guidelines for best results:
✅ 1. When the Colony Is Strong and Bees Occupy the Upper Box
Typically in late spring or early summer, once your colony has expanded to 8 or more frames and the upper box is full of workers, it’s a good time to add the excluder.
At this stage, the queen is laying well, and the hive is strong enough to start storing honey.
Tip: Adding it too early can restrict the queen’s laying space and weaken the colony.
✅ 2. Just Before Adding the Honey Super
When you’re about to place a new super box on your 10 frame or 8 frame beehive, install the queen excluder first.
This ensures that the honey collected in the upper box stays brood-free and clean.
✅ 3. Before Bees Start Capping the Honey Cells
Adding the excluder right before capping begins keeps the bees focused on storing nectar instead of tending brood in the upper box.
⚠️ 3. Common Mistakes to Avoid
-
❌ Adding It Too Early – Limits the queen’s laying area and slows colony growth.
-
❌ Not Checking the Queen’s Position – If the queen gets trapped above the excluder, she’ll lay eggs in your honey supers.
-
❌ Leaving It Too Long – After honey harvest, remove the excluder to keep airflow and colony movement natural.
🌼 4. Practical Tips
-
Use a stainless steel queen excluder for better ventilation and durability.
-
Rub a little beeswax on it before use to help bees pass through more easily.
-
Check your hive a few days after installation to ensure the queen is still in the lower brood box.
🍯 5. Final Thoughts
The best time to add a queen excluder is when your colony is strong and ready to store honey.
Too early, and you’ll hold your bees back. Too late, and you’ll find brood in your honey frames.
By timing it right, you’ll get cleaner honey and a stronger hive!
🐝 Looking for a high-quality stainless steel queen excluder?
Check out the MayBee Hives Beekeeper Essentials Kit — compatible with all standard Langstroth beehive boxes (8-frame and 10-frame) and designed for durability and ease of use.
