What does a queen excluder prevent in the beehive?

A queen excluder is a specific type of beekeeping equipment designed to maintain the structure and organization of a beehive. Its primary function is to prevent the queen bee from entering certain areas of the hive, particularly the honey supers where honey is stored. By restricting the queen's access, the queen excluder ensures that she cannot lay eggs in these honey storage areas. This effectively prevents the accidental production of brood—larvae and pupae—in the honey supers, which could contaminate the honey and complicate the honey harvesting process.

The queen excluder is particularly important during honey production seasons when beekeepers want to collect pure honey without the interference of developing bee larvae. By keeping the brood away from the honey supers, beekeepers can produce higher-quality honey for sale and consumption. This focus on quality and purity is key to successful honey production and maintaining the overall health of the hive.