5 Frame Nuc Hive Queen Excluder

A queen excluder is a grid that worker bees pass through and a queen cannot. This one is round wire in a welded metal frame, cut to 19 15/16 by 9 1/16 inches, the footprint of a standard 5 frame nuc box.

What does an excluder do on a nuc?

Two jobs. Put it under a super and it keeps brood out of your honey. Lay it below the brood box instead and it works as a queen includer, stopping a newly introduced queen from absconding while the colony settles.

Why wire rather than punched metal?

Wire bars are round, so a bee passes over them instead of squeezing through a flat slot. Colonies work a wire excluder more willingly, and because there is less surface for them to build on you get less burr comb welding the box above to the one below. It also stays flat in the frame rather than bowing in the middle the way a thin punched sheet does.

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Which way up does it go?

Either way. The frame sits on the rim of the box with the wires running across the frames below.

Can I use it as a queen includer?

Yes. Placed between the bottom board and the brood box it stops a newly introduced or newly mated queen leaving while the colony accepts her. Take it off once she is laying, or the drones will be trapped inside.

Will it fit an 8 frame box?

No, this one is cut for a 5 frame nuc. For a full box see the 8 frame and 10 frame sizes.

Does it need a rim or spacer?

No. It sits directly on the box below.

More in the queen excluders range.