eggs/brood survival

[JohnyP]

I have 2 apiaries 12 miles apart. I want to move a test frame from one hive to another in the 2 apiaries. Is it likely that the eggs will survive the 1/2 hour car journey?

 

[Bosleeu]

Yes very likely. Wrap up in a slightly damp towel to keep them warm and prevent drying out. Alternatively put in a Nuc covered with bees (make sure the queen is not on it) , dummy down and shake the bees off before putting the frame in the recipient hive. I prefer the first method.

 

[JohnRoss]

I have taken a frame of eggs and brood in the car for 45 min and it has been fine.

 

[oliver90owner]

Eggs is not an issue, as long as they don't get desiccated.

Larvae are a different matter.

 

[keith pierce]

Last week, i grafted 20 larva into a cell bar and then drove 20 minutes with them sitting up on the front seat of the van and had a16 ccepted out of the 20. I had no damp towel around the frame. maybe it was a bit of luck.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Last week, i grafted 20 larva into a cell bar and then drove 20 minutes with them sitting up on the front seat of the van and had a16 ccepted out of the 20. I had no damp towel around the frame. maybe it was a bit of luck.

Our final Winter meeting (In April) of local BKA was a queen rearing talk. The speaker brought a frame of eggs / lavae that he removed from a colony that afternoon. I believe he just wrapped it in a plastic bag and we all had a go at grafting. He returned that frame to the colony the following morning after it had spent the night in his garage and then posted a photo the following week to show that almost no brood was affected from being out of the hive for 12+ hours!!

Brood is more resilient than we think!

 

[JohnyP]

Thanks all, I'll see how I get on today.

 

[boca]

Once I forgot a frame with eggs in the house under a table. After a few days the egg hatched.

There is also an astonishing report in "Gleanings in bee culture" saying that an apiary was flooded for several hours. the bees went up to the supers. the brood was under water.
Larvae died but capped brood hatched normally.