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Author Topic: How to best transport Brood Comb?  (Read 2143 times)

Moots

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How to best transport Brood Comb?
« on: May 11, 2013, 12:04:57 am »
Haven't had the need to do this outside of the same yard yet, but sure the day is coming.  Thought I'd ask before the moment was upon me.

What is the best way to get brood comb from one location to another?  What are the tolerances of what you can get away with....How far? at what temperature? etc? etc? etc?

For example, I've set up a trapout at a remote bee tree and used a small swarm in the bait box.  However, what if at some point I check it and realize I don't have a laying queen...At that time I'd like to add a frame of eggs/brood. BUT HOW?  It's about 8 miles away, probably a 10 to 15 minute drive.  What's my options?

Under what conditions, if any, can I just remove it here, and take it there?

If that's not a good option, which I'm afraid it's not....then what?  Do I transport an entire Nuc and rob the frame once I'm there and then bring the original Nuc back with me?
What about a heated Nuc box for this purpose, found this youtube video of a guy with one.

Any and all opinions and suggestions appreciated.

Offline don2

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Re: How to best transport Brood Comb?
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2013, 12:10:07 am »
If you take a whole nuc, in your area I don't see where heat would  be necessary.  :) d2

Offline iddee

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Re: How to best transport Brood Comb?
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2013, 12:12:19 am »
When it was sunny and 60 F., I have shook off the bees and moved a frame with eggs 20 miles to a trap. It frosted that night. They made 6 queen cells and I had full frames of capped brood before the trap was finished.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Moots

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Re: How to best transport Brood Comb?
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2013, 12:22:46 am »
When it was sunny and 60 F., I have shook off the bees and moved a frame with eggs 20 miles to a trap. It frosted that night. They made 6 queen cells and I had full frames of capped brood before the trap was finished.

iddee,
That's kind of what I was hoping for, but was afraid it wasn't so....thanks for the good news.  :)

Also, I've watched your Bud3 trapout video a number of times and really enjoyed it.  Lots of good info, thanks for doing it.

One more question, in the video, you say when you've reached the point where no bees exit the cone for 3 days, you're done.  Obviously, you don't watch the cone 24X7...what snapshot of time on a pretty sunny day while bees should be active, but you observe the cone with no activity, do you consider sufficient?

Offline iddee

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Re: How to best transport Brood Comb?
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2013, 12:47:52 am »
Approx. 30 minutes each day 3 consecutive days. Then the next day I look for pollen on the bees going in. No pollen equals robbers, pollen equals queenright and the cone goes back on.

Thanks for the kudos. I'm glad it's helpful.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*