Assessment of honeybee queen excluder use practices in selected districts of East Shewa and West Arsi zones of Oromia

A study was conducted from July, 2020 through June, 2022 in selected districts of East Shewa and West Arsi zones of Oromia, Ethiopia to examine the effect of inserting queen excluder on honeybee population expansion and honey productivity in three adminstrative districts that are typefyied by different agroecologies. A total of 30 honeybee colonies (eight is fitted with honeybee queen excluder at each study district totaling to 24 and 6 (six) left without queen excluder) were randomly assigned to treatments. Before an expected honey harvest season, the treatment honeybee colonies were assigned to four different honeybee queen excluder fitting r time intervals viz. first week, second week, third week and fourth week of the honey flow month. Results revealed that the total brood comb area was differed insignificantly among the treatments. However, three weeks before honey harvest time, there was a highly significant difference in the total brood population between the treatment and control groups. The partial limiting of queen egg laying using queen excluders significantly reduced the total brood comb area compared to the control group at peak honey flow. The weekly total honey comb area was significantly different between the control and treatment groups. The honeybee colonies for which queen excluders were installed between the second and third weeks of the honey flow season had showed the highest number of honey comb areas. Installing queen excluders before the second or third weeks of the start of the honey flow is more feasible and remunerative.