This method eliminates all brood and the Varroa mites within the closed cells at once. The varroa mites left in the colony are the ones on the bees, so that a subsequent Oxalic Acid treatment will be very effective. Again, as a chemical-free alternative, a trap comb with brood that is ready to be capped can be used to remove the phoretic mites.
Even so the complete brood removal seems to be a drastic intervention into the colony it is based on the natural separation of brood and bees during swarming. Experience has shown that this method is well tolerated by the colonies and that the bees compensate for the loss of brood very quickly.
Steps:
- Remove all frames with brood and sweep off all bees from these frames
- Arrange new brood nest and fill box with empty new frames/combs
- Remove Honey Box
- Treat with oxalic acid within a few days
Non-chemical Option:
- Leave a comb with lots of young brood as ‘trap comb’ in the middle of the brood chamber.
- After nine days, remove the capped trap comb and replace with an empty comb
The CVBC flyer in PFD format for the Complete Brood Removal Method (4) can be downloaded here.