Shallow frame in deep box for veroa?

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BAFly

New Bee
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Location
uk
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Smith
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Does anyone here use a shallow frame in a deep brood box, so the bees can make drone brood on the underside of the comb?

I've heard this used a method of veroa control (being drawn the the drone brood, then removed and destroyed). Was just wondering if people have any comment on this method?
 
I acquired a new colony (my first, so I'm a complete beginner...) this spring which turned out to have higher-than-ideal varroa levels, so as part of the control have started doing exactly as you describe. I'm guessing it's going to depend on whether you need to do it or not: if your varroa is at a very low level then it'd be unnecessary, if at a very high level it would be inadequate.

Mine are studiously ignoring the gap where they're supposed to be drawing out drone-cell sized comb at the moment though!
 
They will draw it out when they are ready. You will then have to cut it off and dispose of it or give it to chickens if you have some.
 
The Germans tend to use 2 such frames, inserted about 1.1/2 weeks apart, (approx half the time between egg to adult),this way they can cull drone brood from one frame (at the purple eye stage ), replace and have another frame to cull on alternate inspections.
A further advantage of using such frames is that one can determine the hive mind with reference to swarming, by the bees drawing worker instead of drone cells thus indicating that their intention to swarm has lessened and drones are no longer required :).

John
 
I always have one shallow in the brood so producing more drone - also culling a few to check if storing varroa. But thanks John,didnt realise the bit about producing nurse rather than drone indicating non-swarm intentions - help - mine always produce drone!! - still the queen may get a decent day out:cheers2:
 
i normaly use 12 by 14 frames in my broods with at least the three middle being stanards so they produce drome brood below them, many people use it as a varroa control but my main purpose is to control drone production, if i need lots for breeding then i leave it alone but other wise i will trim one or two off
 
Thanks for the replies.

I do have chickens, so they may be getting a treat! :cheers2:
 
Hi Members,

Those of you who use a super frame in a brood chamber for the use as a Varroa catcher, would you please examine the drone brood capping's and see how many Varroa mites there are on each side and add them together and post your findings in this thread.

I will be looking forward to your figures because I used to carry out this method in helping control Varroa but found it a waste of a frame as the count was 1 or 2 on either side.

I realise its a messy job lifting out the grubs to check but if a job is worth doing its worth doing well.

Thank you all.:)
 
A further advantage of using such frames is that one can determine the hive mind with reference to swarming, by the bees drawing worker instead of drone cells thus indicating that their intention to swarm has lessened and drones are no longer required :).

John

Thanks for that one John ;)
 
Metamorphosis

I put in one or two shallows in each brood chamber but I only cut off the drone brood below if varroa levels are high. I use the tray under the varroa floor to see if there is anything to worry about. Like you say, no point culling perfectly healthy drone brood.
 
My old Ukranian friend used to cull drone brood long before the advent of varroa!, he had a sharpened pallet knife which he used to slice the cappings off drone brood, he maintaind that his father used the same trick, reckoning that a drone was fed the equivalent of one cell of honey daily, thus depleting his honey crop :svengo:.
Petro used to say (as he was wielding his pallet knife) "I'll bet you think I am being cruel to these bees ?, but the bees are even more cruel to each other when the need arises ".
John
 

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