To improve the quality of nectar and maintain the insect population in the apiary, beekeepers use special devices that separate the queen of the hive from the main swarm and cells with a valuable product. A separating grid is installed in the hive, separating the queen from the main honey storage, but still allowing worker bees access to it. Why such a design is needed, and whether it is possible to make a dividing grid yourself, we will look into the details further.
Importance of a separating grid for bees
The main purpose of the design is to zone the hive into several compartments and limit the movement of the queen.
- Without such a dividing frame, the queen bee moves freely throughout the entire space of her home and lays eggs in any place convenient for her.
- As a result, part of the clutch ends up in cells with honey, which significantly reduces its commercial value and harms the reproduction of the family.
- Thanks to the dividing structure, access to honeycombs with nectar is limited to drones.
The idea of separating the queen from the honeycomb with nectar appeared among European scientists several centuries ago. For this purpose, gratings with a gap between cells of 4.5 mm were made. This size allows ordinary, worker bees to freely penetrate any part of the hive. But the larger female and drones cannot squeeze into the small gaps, so they remain in the part of the house intended for them.
The lattice is placed on special frames located in the inside of the hive above the main nectar storage. Working insects can easily lay nectar in any part of the room. The queen has no access to the store, so she lays eggs in the remaining cells on her territory, which reduces the risk of death of the offspring. In the main storage, honey is also protected from foreign substances entering it.
The idea of a dividing frame also helps beekeepers when preparing their hives for wintering. Based on the amount of honey accumulated in the frames, the beekeeper will always be able to calculate the exact amount of nectar needed by insects to feed the queen and offspring during the winter.
During swarming, the colony, along with the queen, flies out of the hive and may be lost. To avoid trouble, during the swarming period the entrances are closed with a dividing grid, and the insects remain inside the house.
The structure is also used to separate the old uterus from a new female capable of reproducing offspring. The queens will not be able to get along in one room and will fight until one of them is destroyed. If you divide the hive with a lattice, the young queen will be able to adapt to the home and, after the natural death of the old queen, take her place.
Important! When choosing or making a dividing grid, take into account the size of worker bees and queens, which depend on the type of insect.
It is also necessary to remember that a bee filled with nectar swells and its volume increases.
Varieties
The first designs of a dividing grid for a beehive appeared in Switzerland, and were brought to life by the Ukrainian beekeeper Prokopovich at the beginning of the 19th century. But the separation grids for hives became famous thanks to the Brazilian beekeeper Hahnemann, who was the first to separate the queen bee from the main honey storage. To this day, the Hahnemann grid is used by beekeepers around the world.
In the manufacture of structures they use:
- galvanized iron, characterized by a long service life and reliability (it is inconvenient to use due to its heavy weight);
- plastic gratings (light in weight and comfortable to use, easily attached to frames with cells);
- grilles made of wire (may become deformed during operation, but are completely safe for insects).
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of separation grids is to improve the quality of honey and the safety of future offspring.
Among the disadvantages of using the design, they note the possibility of injury by insects if the lattice parameters are not followed and the difficulty of installing it inside the hive.
Tools and materials
To make your own design, you will need:
- galvanized wire with a diameter of 4 to 4.5 mm;
- wooden planks or finished frame;
- hammer, wire cutters, nails, ruler or tape measure.
Important! Wooden planks must be thoroughly cleaned before use.
DIY making
To make a suitable design, it is initially necessary to measure the parameters of that part of the hive where the dividing frame will be located.
- A frame is made from prepared boards.
- On the wooden base of the structure, use a ruler to measure equal distances, from 4 to 4.5 mm, and mark them with a pencil.
- Next, the wire is pulled strictly according to the markings and secured with nails or special rivets.
The distance between the cells in the lattice is selected based on the size of the queen, drones and worker bees. The finished structure is installed in the hive so that the slots in it are located horizontally.
