# 4.9 and supering



## Clayton (Dec 8, 2000)

This has been covered before. You can use the larger cell supers. You should use a queen excluder however. With that said using these supers (combs) does not lend itself well to unlimited broodnest management. Or any management where combs are move into or out of the broodnest. I suggest a long term strategy of replacing them slowly over time if so inclinde.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Interchangability is a very nice thing to have. If you use the same size frames in your supers then after you extract them you have drawn comb. Drawn comb is a wonderful resource for starting packages, adding to nucs, opening up a clogged brood nest etc. I think it's easier to use all the same size frames and all the same size foundation.

It is true that this interchangability is dependant on not using any chemicals or you have to worry about mixing up frames from the contaminated brood nest with the supers.

If you are NOT going to use 4.9mm foundation in the supers, I agree with Clayton, use an excluder. Also, I would use drone foundation in the supers. It will extract easier, take less wax from the bees and won't confuse the bees as much as 5.4mm foundation will. This is because the bees would normally build larger cells to store honey if they had no foundation.

But probably part of what you are thinking is that you have drawn comb, or foundation that is already 5.4mm size. If they are drawn I would use an excluder and use the comb until you cull it out. Especially if you have a different size frames in your supers than your brood chamber.

But, getting good drawn 4.9mm foundation is the hardest part of regressing. I would try to get the bees to draw more every chance you get.


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## Kurt Bower (Aug 28, 2002)

Now for the obvious question.
Does a regular queen excluder control the psasage of a 4.9mm queen? She is smaller, so will I need a different excluder and if so are there any available?

Kurt


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

This has been discussed before. I've seen "normal" sized queens go through an excluder on occasion. Some excluders have closer spacing than others. I don't use one that much anyway. Also you can use a queen discourager. Just cut a pice of plywood to fit a hive and put holes in the corners say 2" in diameter or so. The queen doesn't tend to go to the corners and usually won't go up from there. Do a search on this forum for "queen excluders"
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000021.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000040.html http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum13/HTML/000056.html 

here is what you'll find.


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