Just wondering about drones

[Wombat2]

Never really gave this much thought and as I have never looked for it I have never noticed otherwise - if you have a queen excluder fitted would you get Drones in the honey supers?

[yantabulla]

No and if you pull brood combs up above the excluder they will get stuck there unless there is a top entrance.

[amun-ra]

True drones get pulled in half trying to get out of the topbox

[Acebird]

I think a top vent has many advantages.

[little john]

- if you have a queen excluder fitted would you get Drones in the honey supers?

If a Q/X is fitted - ensuring that the queen is below it - you shouldn't get brood of any kind above it.  I have heard talk of workers carrying eggs around but don't know if this is factually true or just an urban legend.

The price to be paid for fitting a Q/X (without a separate upper entrance) is generally considered to be reduced honey yields.
LJ

[Michael Bush]

>if you have a queen excluder fitted would you get Drones in the honey supers?

If the drones are below it and the queen is below it, no.  If the drones are already in the supers and there is no top entrance, they will get stuck in the queen excluder trying to get out.

[PhilK]

I put a few brood combs above the super to hatch out as I was cycling th frames out... next inspection there was a lot of half drones wedged in the QX. Oops.

[Wombat2]

Thanks everyone - I suspected as much but just wanted to confirm. I want to practice marking and clipping queens wings by using drones but didn't want to disturb the brood box or let it cool down to much while playing around. Guess I'll wait for a realy warm day

[BeeMaster2]

Wombat2,
Use your queen catcher and catch the drones on the landing board. It's also good practice for catching queens with out hurting them.
Jim