Bailey Frame Change Drone Question?

[Bee-Key-Pur]

I assume that all the drones left in the bottom BB, with the original entrance closed off and under the QE, will perish or get stuck in the QE trying to move up?
Is this why some poeple leave the bottom entrance open as well as giving a top entrance?

 

[Heather]

Why leave the queen excluder in- they will all be reluctant to go up to develop the new box. Just 2 BB together works. A slow method but it works.

I prefer to shake them all onto a new box (after excluding the queen/frame to a safe place for 10 minutes!) messy but fast change of abode for them. Yes, you lose brood- but you lose varroa too. Syrup feed and they soon are back in business



And with a fresh foundation super- leave the QE off for a few days also to allow them to start to draw...

 

[Ruary]

I prefer to shake them all onto a new box (after excluding the queen/frame to a safe place for 10 minutes!) messy but fast change of abode for them. Yes, you lose brood- but you lose varroa too. Syrup feed and they soon are back in business
QUOTE]
Otherwise known as a shook swarm, very drastic needs good flow and pollen supply to allow the bees to recover. Bailey Frame change is not really a treatment for varroa but for nosema.
The intention is to get the colony onto clean frames with minimum disturbance and then to allow the infected frames to be disinfected with acetic acid fumes.
Ruary

 

[Heather]

Yes, I know Ruary, but the bees are immediately working on the new not between the two boxes (e.g. also on the old which will be discarded).

I always give good feed with it and so in decent Spring, and maybe this year is exceptional. Depends on area.