Why add brood frame to artificial swarm?

[lebouche]

Hi,
I'm just wondering why people add a brood frame to the new hive when performing an artificial swarm? Surely this means no brood break and must be mean more varroa?

Thanks

 

[VEG]

Its done to try to stop the bees absconding as can sometimes happen.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Having somewhere to lay, straight away, can 'anchor' the queen. Also, pheromones from developing brood make it less likely the swarm will abscond. Not entirely foolproof, of course.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Not entirely foolproof, of course.

......tell me about it! Happened to me today! In hindsight, I think maybe there wasn't enough open brood or laying space on the frame I transferred over. Live and learn.

 

[Davelin]

Hi,
I'm just wondering why people add a brood frame to the new hive when performing an artificial swarm? Surely this means no brood break and must be mean more varroa?

Thanks

If you read last months BBKA news there is an interesting article which explains how you can use an artificial swarm as a means of varroa control.

 

[lebouche]

Why not just put a queen excluder on the bottom of the hive rather than a frame of brood?

Thanks,

 

[Jimmys Mum]

As I understand it, a queen slimmed down for swarming may be able to slip through an excluder.

 

[Arfermo]

Why not just put a queen excluder on the bottom ?

Absolutely. Precisely what I thought umpteen posts on this forum have recommended - over umpteen years too.

 

[Finman]

.
AS is a violent action and bees do not accept the hive which has only Foundation aroma inside. Then the bees notice that this is not our own home and they start to search their old hive odor. When they find it, they start to move to the old hive which is in new place. That is why the new place must be far enough, about 3 m.

A brood frame helps bees to calm down and they collect themselves to the new hive. An excluder stops the queen absconding but it does not calm down bees. Bees even walk along ground to the new hive and the queen follows (distance 1 m)

Same happens if you make an mating nuc. If the nuc does not have a piece of brood, bees became nervous and they find a better home. The queen follows the bees.

.*****

Brood part of the AS may have excluder that an after swarm does not escape with new virgin.

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