Moving frames of brood

[beenovice]

I am looking to combine a couple of Nucs to one or two of my hive. I want to try and do this to maximise the potential for honey. At the same time, I am not comfortable squishing a perfectly good queen!
Can I transfer frames of capped brood from the nucs and just slot them into the hives. If so, then where should they go in the hive brood.
Should I also transfer bees on these frames?
I would then like to leave the nuc to build back up.

 

[Duchy]

shake the bees of the frame and move frame with brood only....

 

[enrico]

No problem with what you are suggesting, just make sure you remove most of the bees as duchy says
E

 

[beenovice]

shake the bees of the frame and move frame with brood only....

Thanks Duchy and Enrico. Where should I try and slot them? On the edges of the brood?

 

[oliver90owner]

Even more important is to make sure a queen is not on the frame(s).

Adjacent to another frame of capped brood would be good.

Transferring bees might well lead to their death by fighting - and the risk of getting the queen amongst might be greater.

 

[Teemore]

Please take care that there are sufficient bees in the hive to which you are donating the sealed brood to allow them to "cover" the donated brood. Too few bees and there is some risk that the donated brood could be chilled and die. Sealed brood will generate some heat by itself so there will be some leeway in donating the brood.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ten days ago I transferred two frames of emerging brood with adherent bees and there was no problem. I simply opened the donor hive up first, took out the two frames and left them propped up against the hive stand while I went through the rest of the colonies. Half an hour later I just popped the frames in to the receiving colony and that was that. All looking good a week later.

 

[simonwig]

Michael Palmer talks about boosting colonies by taking brood and bees from nuclei in a really interesting article in the latest BBKA news.

What he doesn't do is explain how he avoids fighting, or if indeed he doesn't try to avoid it.

Michael, if you're reading this, would you be kind enough to explain your method of introducing the frames?

Thanks

Simon