Beekeeping: My Most Important Discovery EVER That Will Help You Too!

[@zarckx]

Hey David, We use these isolation cages as varroa treatment in Europe. This has many advantages: -We kill 95% of varroa mites per treatment. -We no longer use medications or acids to treat varroa, which saves money. -Higher honey yield. -It reduces the urge to swarm. -The queens last longer. -Independent of the weather -... How you use the isolation cages now will not work to kill varroa. The intention is that the brood frame is removed from the bee colony when closed. You do this for 3x8 days. Then normally all the brood has fledged and you have captured more than 90% of the varroa from the colony. I do this twice a year and my colonies are therefore varroa poor. This has the advantage that I am less affected by other diseases caused or spread by varroa. The only difference is I use the 2 frame version. Greetings from Belgium, Christian

[@maryannl7904]

Christian, I just asked these questions of David. I wish I had a clearer picture of how you do this. If you have a link it would be much appreciated. Thanks

[@beek]

Yes, I have taught this procedure for over a decade as well using green drone comb to attract varroa mites, then freeze the comb to kill the mites. You can place the green drone comb into the isolation cage and force the queen to lay unfertilized eggs which then attracts mites to these larvae before they are capped over. Then remove the green drone comb and from the cage and freeze it.

[@zarckx]

@@beek You can do that, but then you wast a lot of energy from your colony. I use worker brood comb, collect all these frames and create a new colony with them at a different location and then treat them once with oxalic acid when all the brood has emerged. Then add a new queen to the colony.

[@nenadd.9873]

What zarckx said. Only I still treat broodless colonies with oxalic acid after honey harvest anyway. 20% of mites are on bees and warm weather gives them a chance to multiply far too long into autumn and weaken winter bees. I don't want to see big mite drop during winter treatment.

[@zarckx]

@@nenadd.9873If you do this once a year, this is not enough and it is recommended to apply oxalic acid treatment as you indicate. I do this twice a year on my production colonies and it works perfectly without using any other treatment.

[@JamieMorgan-xs7wf]

I think the gap should be closed up by the walls of the hive

[@beek]

I'll take a look. You might be right.

[@tomreppert1722]

When the frame excluder is in the box, those gaps are so tight to the walls that she can't get out. At least with my set up it is.

[@beek]

I may have to visually observe that more up close, but that does make sense.

[@Danielseven-ir2mq]

In order not to slow down the 🐝 I installed on the supers Stainless Steel Bee Hive Entrance Gate Disc Doors, so yes I use a queen excluder but they have an entrance below the excluder and above the excluder.( I might try making an entrance on each super.) It makes a difference. To avoid robbing I will close the top entrances after the linden blossom. And reduce the entrance on the bottom. My two cents.

[@marklove2022]

I use that cage to isolate the breeder queen for rearing new queens. Four days later I have the proper age larvae to graft.

[@beek]

Yes, me too!

[@raterus]

I make a little sign I put under my super that reads "No eggs above here". Works half the time!

[@beek]

🤣

[@aaronparis4714]

Back when I started I decided to just watch the bees with a exscluder on and I felt so bad for the bees that I took mine off and threw them away I rather get eggs in my supers then see the poor girls struggle I’m glade you don’t use them too

[@beek]

It does slow things down.

[@aaronparis4714]

@@beek your right if you take the time to watch them and just see them getting stuck And fighting to get up threw it makes ya feel bad a little brood in the honey is not bad for what it is most times she gets a round or two in the second deep and then they back fill it with nectar she don’t like to cross Over that honey band it also makes for a bigger hive as she can just lay out full tilt no delays

[@kraphtymac]

@@aaronparis4714what about watching a valuable queen struggle to get out of an excluder frame?

[@aaronparis4714]

@@kraphtymac I don’t use anything in my hive my queens have free range

[@kevinogden4363]

She probably can't get out cause there's not enough room with it butted up against the frame rest

[@beek]

I'll take a closer look.

[@d-dave1503]

If someone wants to experiment, modify an inner cover to block over the brood area and leave the sides wide open to the supers and see what happens.

[@Eric_Westerfield]

Hello David. If you confine the queen to the one frame, wouldn't that allow the bees to backfill the brood nest? Also a good laying queen will fill a deep frame in 2 to 3 days. Just some thoughts.

[@beek]

All good points, but for this hive she had eggs on so many frames in the lower deep that I was glad to confine her for 6 days helping me not get brood bound. Also, it's likely the frame she is on may have bees emerging so she could lay again.

[@Eric_Westerfield]

@@beek Ok. That sounds good. Thanks for responding. I love watching your videos. They are so informative. Keep up the good work!

[@czoperator7977]

this cage in europe is for 3 frames used in summertime to fight against the mite varroa

[@b2bogster]

Great idea!!!!

[@beek]

Thanks

[@diydarkmatter]

ive seen these before in another video . the guy was using it for mite removal . he had a cool steamer of sorts . he would take the brood comb and put it in that cage and steam it at 95 to 100 f . i say steam it but he just had a small pan of water in the box for moister . it killed the mites dint hurt the larva in the comb . would not hurt the bees ether is they happened to get in it . and he would cook them like that for about a hour . my bad he would use that cage to keep the queen from getting on the other brood comb till after he cooked the other brood comb .

[@aodhhanswtor7252]

Queen will not escape in the gap you showed because it lays AGAINST the side of the BOX. What a concept. The box itself seals it off. If she can squeeze through whatever gap is next to the side of the box, she'd be able to slip between the metal grate. Obviously, she can't do this.

[@Fasteddie-op6sd]

I am new.. and this is going to be an awsome trick I can use right out the gate and increase honey 🎉

[@beek]

Glad it was helpful.

[@kraphtymac]

Seems like a really great way to roll a queen.

[@beek]

That's what I wondered too, but as you can see in the video, the results there is plenty of room not to roll her.

[@kraphtymac]

@@beeklooks like it was successful with your n of 1. Don’t think it will probably pan out like that in the long run, but time will tell. Seems like an unnecessary risk with several well designed multi year studies pointing out there doesn’t seem to be any detriment to hive structure or honey production with a queen excluder. A simpler, less risky solution would be to drill some holes in your super above the excluder.

[@susannefehr7907]

Hi David! I am a new beekeeper with one medium 8 frame hive. (Next year I want to add another hive). Can you recommend both a manual and electric honey extractor? (I am thinking I may go manual, but unsure). Also can you do a video on how to clean a honey extractor? Thanks for the amazing, informative videos you make for us!!!!

[@jimronk11]

Hey David, I've been watching you for about 2 years now. I am a Certified Beekeeper. The question I have is what do you do with drawn out comb frames and boxes after the honey flow is done. I'm in North Carolina where it's hot humid. I don't want wax moth in my frames. Thanks Jim

[@beek]

Hi Jim, you have several options. You can place them in a freezer. This is my go to method. If you cannot do that due to space restrictions, it is best to freeze one frame at a time (if you have one or two supers) then place them in a room of low humidity and free of bugs. If you can't do any of that, then store them in a air conditioned/heated room that is comfortable to you. However, if there are eggs in the comb from SHB or wax moths, they will destroy them, so finding some way to freeze them first before storage is best.

[@BarefootBeekeeper]

So now you have to lift supers and move the queen every 3 days so she can continue to lay?

[@ejruff4232]

Why not make the isolation frame large enough to hold more frames?

[@beek]

They do make one that holds 2

[@Jdban]

I'm not sure if I missed it, but I didn't really understand why this was done and what the benefit was

[@beek]

I explained in the video that by using this technique you can avoid restricting the workers with a queen excluder, allowing them to enter the super easily, and you hold the queen on a frame in the brood area keeping her from laying eggs in the new super.

[@schammond8993]

This year I plan to do my first grafting. Could I use this isolation cage in my cell starter instead of confining her with boards on each side of her frame?

[@beek]

In a cell starter, you do not want your queen there because the absence of the queen's pheromone causes the bees to make queens out of your grafts. Queen excluder material is not enough to block the queen's pheromone.

[@raleighsistrunk7123]

Hello Sir, I cannot locate this product anywhere. Could you provide a link? Thank you for all you do!

[@beek]

Google Better Bee

[@10cscharf]

Greetings. Would it be possible to have several of these frame excludes but just have them in the hive (with frame inside) but with the queen on the outside. Would the workers then just put nectar/honey on the enclosed frame? This way you could get a deep frame with honey in amongst the brood box or in a double brood box.

[@beek]

Yes, but in my case she could go up into my super. But yes that's a great idea if you are brood bound, but not if you are pollen or honey bound.

[@jonathanhofer5050]

Where can I buy a cage like that?

[@beek]

Google Better Bee, they sell them.

[@quijadriss7650]

How long would a queen take to lay one whole frame? Does this not mess with the brood pattern? I like this idea, I just have so many questions. I only have one hive and fear if I mess it up, them I'm dunzzo.

[@beek]

There are approximately a tad less than 7,000 cells on a deep frame and if the queen lays 1,500 eggs a day, it would take her about 4 and a half days to fill up a frame. You could always move a different frame in there and let her work on that one.

[@webco53]

David, May I ask what brand of foundation are you using?

[@beek]

Acorn. Watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKHYiqxrmbOsndU

[@jaminparker929]

Would it be better to have the cage for three or four frames. That way you can keep tue population at healthy levels.

[@eves8611]

My thoughts exactly. That would be great.

[@beek]

You can simply move a different frame into the cage and move the queen over to that new caged frame.

[@charliegioe3158]

David are you going to be selling those cages and how much are they thank you Charlie PA

[@beek]

No I can only find them at Better Bee

[@maryannl7904]

Hi David! Can this cage be used to isolate the queen to reduce brood production whereby reducing the risk of a swarm and also reducing varroa mites? I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Thoughts please.

[@beek]

Yes, this cage would reduce brood production if the queen was kept on this frame for an extended period. Reducing brood production would also reduce mites as mites reproduce within developing pupae cells. It would have no effect on existing mites, but it could reduce the reproduction of mites with the reduction of bees. However, there is a point where holding back colony growth could have a negative effect on the colony at large.

[@francisstepanek4129]

Some keen European beekeepers use a similar cage with no frame inside to isolate queen for a one brood cycle 21-25 days to impose completely broodles condition to eliminate most of the sporadic varroa mites with one treatment. It makes a good sense.Healthy bees-happy bees!

[@Nectar_pirates]

Do you believe the queen would go to the next honey super above the first super when you eventually add it? Would be interesting to see in this series

[@beek]

It is rare for her to cross an entire super full of honey or nectar.

[@CarlPotter-t7u]

Can you just rotate the queen and the cage to a different frame every couple weeks?

[@beek]

Yes, maybe once a week would be better because a queen can fill a deep frame with eggs in about 4 days.

[@FishingPhoFun]

Hey David! Can you make a video on how to fix comb thays been drawn out too far? I noticed that in my brood box I have frames where the hiney cells are drawn out too far and into the other blank frame. Causing the other frame to not get drawn out. I know theres a few techniques like smashing the frame against the out side or maybe cut it back with the Hive tool? Would love to see your take on fixing this comb

[@beek]

This video I made may be what you are looking for: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6LPqaKjg9CCnZYsi=Ah8P8yuYk1FRO8QR

[@FishingPhoFun]

@@beek I watched the wonky comb one already. But my issue is more of the honey portions in the corners of a brood frame has been drawn out too far. I did experiment a bit and took that frame and moved it to the ouside smashed it up against the wall and it seems liek the bees are shrinking down the cell size and rapairing it. but wasnt sure if other BEEKs had any tips and tricks for over drawn honey comb. rest of the frame is fine.. just the honey portion is over drawn

[@Platypus2012]

Do you think this method will cause them to back-fill the brood box with nectar?

[@beek]

In this hive the queen had eggs everywhere in the deep, so I wasn't worried.

[@jeffemiller1470]

Thanks David, This really worked well. I'm going to make one.

[@beek]

You are going to make one? Nice, you must be a welder.

[@HighFlight2k2]

They also make an "Introduction" cage now that has the ends capped off. It does rely on you including nurse bees as bees can't traverse it. My first thought was if they could sell just the top to close off the isolation cage.

[@Peekul1]

Great video. I am struggling above the queen excluder. This may solve my problem too.

[@beek]

Glad it helped

[@marko.akz.]

Thank you for ur hard work👍🏻

[@beek]

It's my pleasure

[@Weshole5W]

Stick earplugs in the gap.

[@JayAHafner]

Thanks David. You're really great at what you do.

[@beek]

I appreciate that!

[@marko.akz.]

I was wondering why you dont keep the queen excluder and open a top entrance for foragers to easily enter supers ?

[@beek]

I've tried that over a decade ago, but it just opens up the opportunity for robbing.

[@DavidLaFerney]

Another reason is that they tend to store pollen near the entrance - ever notice how the bottom box gets choked with it? You don’t want a lot of pollen in your honey supers for 2 reasons - 1) It makes honey processing less efficient because there is less honey in those frames. 2) The pollen in the extracted frames attracts hive beetles and wax moths.

[@eeepertoj5930]

Hii where i live in Southern Europe there is minor honey flow we use that method or we make a 2 frame split and let the hive requeen itself wee use these methods to make more honey and to reduce mites

[@beek]

Bravo!

[@zakadslusarskikatarzynapie5635]

Hello David, we’re glad you like the cage! We produce them for Betterbee, there is also a 2-frame version, and introduction cage (smaller wire spacing). By the way: queen excluders - try our metal excluders (available at Betterbee too) - worker bees like them a lot and they freely go through. Thanks for sharing the experiment and enjoy using the cage :)

[@apveening]

During the video I was already thinking about a 2-frame version as that will reduce the chances of her completely filling up all cells with eggs/brood.

[@beek]

Great, the 2 frame version might work better! Does Better Bee sell the 2 frame version?

[@zakadslusarskikatarzynapie5635]

@@beekyes 2-frame version is available at Betterbee

[@SIBEEMAN]

Hello David, that queen isolation cage definitely looks useful. Have a great rest of your weekend.

[@beek]

Thanks, you too!

[@jayglosser2014]

David GREAT VIDEO and Great Success! It's been 3 weeks today that I inspected my 2 hives, I didn't find either queen but found eggs in different stages and brood. Lots of frames 80 to 90 % full of honey and just about all capped BUT the capped honey looked wet to me, so I removed 4 frames from each hive, replaced with drawn out frames from last year. I tested the honey and the results surprised me - 16 to 16.5% moisture. 👍 So next Sunday will be harvest day. HAVE A GREAT DAY 👍

[@beek]

Success!

[@jayglosser2014]

@@beek HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY 👍😎

[@calideutsch5794]

My bees have hardly drawn out the frames in my super after over two weeks of it being on... Also no queen excluder. I really should've put extra wax onto the foundations but was in a hurry.

[@beek]

I don't always get all my frames waxed either. Life happens.

[@robertlewis3336]

I just got the other version, the queen introduction cage. Kinda pricey, but what isn't these days.

[@beek]

Indeed

[@tonypaliotti206]

it's going to cost 35.00 plus shipping each ,,could get expensive $$$$$

[@beek]

Beekeeping is an expensive hobby. We can try and do it on the cheap, but when it comes to anything honey bee (hobby) related, it is expensive. And shipping is so expensive as you mentioned.