Creation of young colonies

A row of bee hives in a field of flowers with an orchard behind

Forming young colonies is a key tool for renewing the apiary, building reserves and managing colonies with greater flexibility. This article presents the main methods, their aims, limitations and key points of attention, especially regarding the queen, food supply, swarming tendency and varroa.

1. Overview of the main methods

The methods used to form young colonies can be grouped into a few broad families. Some rely on the natural swarming behaviour. Others start from a group of bees without brood, such as the artificial swarm. Others use brood frames, with or without the queen. Others again exploit the homing behaviour of foragers or the dynamics of a colony in swarming mood.

The table below provides an overview. It does not replace the detailed procedure for each method, but it helps in choosing the technique best suited to the situation at the apiary.

Method	Principle	Queen	Brood	Points to watch
Natural swarm	Collect a swarm that has issued naturally from a colony.	Queen present, except in particular cases.	No brood at the start.	Rehouse, feed and follow up promptly. Do not encourage the uncontrolled multiplication of overly swarm-prone colonies.
Artificial swarm	Form a new unit with shaken or brushed-off bees, a queen in an introduction cage and recent frames or foundation.	Queen introduced, mated or unmated depending on the method.	No brood at the start.	Good queen acceptance, immediate feeding, prompt inspection, favourable window for the varroa management concept.
Queenright shook swarm	Take the queen from the colony with a sufficient quantity of bees to form a new colony.	Queen present from the start.	Ideally without brood, or very little depending on the variant.	A useful method to create a clean break, but it requires good management of the parent colony.
Brood split	Take brood frames with the bees covering them, add food frames and form a nucleus box.	Queen to be reared by the colony or queen introduced.	Yes, often open brood and capped brood.	Avoid accidentally transferring the parent colony's queen, provide enough bees and food, check for a laying queen at the right time.
Combined brood nucleus	Combine brood frames from several colonies to form a stronger young colony.	Queen to be reared or queen introduced.	Yes.	Use only healthy colonies, avoid spreading sanitary problems, balance brood, bees and food stores.
Flight nucleus	Move the parent colony and place a new unit on the original site to gather the foragers.	Queen to be reared or queen cell introduced depending on the variant.	Yes, brood frames introduced into the new unit.	Form the unit when the foragers are out, avoid weakening the parent colony excessively, monitor food stores.
Nurse-bee attraction nucleus	Place brood frames without bees above a strong colony, separated by a queen excluder, so that nurse bees move up to cover them.	Queen absent from the chosen frames; queen to be reared or introduced afterwards.	Yes.	An interesting method when frames well covered with young bees are wanted without searching for the queen, but it requires a two-step procedure.
Queenright split	Form a new colony with the queen, brood frames, bees and food stores.	Queen of the parent colony.	Yes.	A useful method in case of swarming mood, but the parent colony becomes queenless and must be carefully followed up.
Split of a colony in swarming mood	Use the swarming dynamics, the queen cells or the separation of the colony's components to prevent a swarm from leaving.	Depending on the variant: old queen kept in one part, queen cells in the other.	Yes.	Do not multiply overly swarm-prone lineages without discernment, choose the cells carefully, avoid rough handling of queen cells.
Nucleus made with super bees	Use the bees present in the supers to populate a nucleus box prepared with food, pollen, foundation and an introduced queen.	Selected queen introduced.	Generally without brood, except in a particular variant.	An interesting method at harvest time, but it requires an available queen, enough bees and careful feeding.
Small reserve nucleus	Form a small unit intended mainly to serve as a queen reserve or backup colony.	Queen to be reared, queen cell or queen introduced.	Often yes, but in small quantity.	Do not undersize the population, adjust the volume, avoid units that are too weak at the end of the season.

These methods are not equivalent. Some are simple but slow, others fast but more demanding. Some require finding the queen, others avoid it. Some require an outapiary, others can be carried out at the same site. The right choice therefore depends less on theoretical preference than on the actual situation: colony strength, season, weather, available equipment, breeding objective and varroa management.

The order of presentation adopted here deliberately starts with the natural swarm. It constitutes the biological reference model: a colony divides, one part leaves without brood and rebuilds elsewhere. Artificial swarms and several split methods are inspired by this logic, but make it more controllable for the beekeeper.

In the following chapters, each method is presented according to the same logic: its principle, the situations in which it is indicated, its practical procedure, the necessary inspections, its link with the varroa management concept and the main points to watch.

2. Why make increase with young colonies?

This chapter summarises why making increase with young colonies is a central tool for renewal, selection, reserves and sanitary management of the apiary.

Making increase with young colonies is not just a way to expand the number of hives: it is a means of renewing the stock, having reserves available and reducing swarming pressure.
A well-managed young colony can become a vigorous production colony the following year, provided it has a good queen, enough young bees, sufficient food stores, recent comb and a good sanitary state.
Making increase with young colonies is also a selection tool: weak, aggressive, poorly productive, overly swarm-prone colonies, or colonies with recurring sanitary problems should not serve as the basis for multiplication.
From a renewal perspective, ApiService recommends aiming for an average number of young colonies corresponding to about 50 % of the number of production colonies. For 10 production colonies, this corresponds to 5 young colonies, with a possible additional margin depending on expected losses, desired selection and apiary possibilities.
Depending on the chosen method, making increase can also fit into the varroa management concept: brood break, removal of capped brood or broodless period. These effects remain useful, but never replace varroa monitoring or the recommended treatments.
The most favourable period generally lies between May and June, sometimes until July depending on region, altitude, weather, colony strength and the presence of mature drones.
The further the season progresses, the smaller the margin: young colonies have less time to develop, build, build up their food stores and prepare for overwintering.
Before choosing a method, it is necessary to clarify the origin of the queen, whether or not brood is present, the possibility of moving the nucleus box and the moment when the young colony can be integrated into the varroa monitoring.

3. Which method to choose?

This chapter offers a decision aid for choosing the most coherent method according to the objective, the season, colony strength, the available queen and the varroa monitoring.

There is no universal method for forming a young colony. The right choice depends on the season, on colony strength, on the availability of a queen, on the presence of brood, on the possibility of moving the nucleus boxes and on integration into the varroa management concept.

Situation at the apiary	Particularly suitable methods	Point to watch
I have a mated queen and want to form a young colony quickly.	Artificial swarm, nucleus made with super bees, brood split with introduced queen.	Carefully prepare queen acceptance and avoid an overly rapid release.
I want to form a young colony without brood.	Natural swarm, artificial swarm, queenright shook swarm, nucleus made with super bees.	Feed correctly and use the broodless window in the varroa management concept, without improvising the treatment.
I have strong colonies with plenty of brood.	Brood split, combined brood nucleus, nurse-bee attraction nucleus.	Take only from strong and healthy colonies, without transferring the queen by mistake.
I want to avoid weakening a single colony heavily.	Combined brood nucleus, nurse-bee attraction nucleus.	Combine brood only from sanitarily impeccable colonies.
I have no outapiary to which to move nucleus boxes.	Flight nucleus, certain queenright splits.	Take the return of foragers into account and balance the two units.
A strong colony is entering swarming mood.	Queenright split, split of a colony in swarming mood, flight nucleus.	Do not automatically multiply lineages that are overly swarm-prone or mediocre.
I want to have a queen reserve.	Small reserve nucleus, young colony with brood, nucleus with queen cell or introduced queen.	Verify the presence of a laying queen before considering the reserve as reliable.
I am collecting a natural swarm.	Natural swarm.	Rehouse promptly, feed if needed, check the laying and integrate the swarm into the varroa monitoring.
The season is already well advanced.	Methods with a mated queen, sufficiently strong units, reinforcement or uniting rather than late small splits.	Avoid lengthy methods if the colony no longer has time to develop before overwintering.

The right choice is the one that produces a viable, useful and properly followed-up young colony. Forming an additional colony is only worthwhile if it actually improves the stability of the apiary: better selection, available reserve, queen renewal, reduced losses and stronger colonies for the following season.

4. Decisions to clarify before acting

This chapter summarises the decisions to be made before forming a young colony: origin of the queen, presence of brood, possibility of moving, biological calendar and integration into the varroa management concept.

Before choosing a method, a few simple points must be clarified. They determine the speed of development, the risk of failure, the starting strength and the follow-up needed after formation.

Origin of the queen. The young colony can rear its own queen from eggs or very young larvae, receive a queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen. A mated queen speeds up the start, but its introduction must be carefully prepared.
Presence or absence of brood. Methods with brood provide a population base, but they can also transfer varroa mites present in capped brood. Methods without brood resemble the restart of a swarm and can offer an interesting window in the varroa management concept.
Possibility of moving the nucleus box. If the young colony stays at the same apiary, some of the foragers may return to the original location. Some methods, such as the flight nucleus, exploit this behaviour; others, on the contrary, require a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary.
Biological calendar. A colony rearing its own queen takes more time: queen rearing, emergence, mating, start of laying, then emergence of the first workers. The further the season advances, the riskier lengthy methods become.
Starting strength. A young colony must be populous enough to cover the brood, maintain warmth, build comb, defend its entrance and use feeding correctly. A unit that is too weak often requires more care than it provides safety.
Varroa window. A broodless period, a brood break or the emergence of the initial brood can create a useful window. Any treatment must never be improvised: it depends on the actual state of the brood, on the recommendations in force and on the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

An appropriate method is therefore one that matches the actual situation at the apiary. The aim is not to multiply as much as possible, but to form young colonies that are viable, balanced, well fed, properly followed up and useful for renewing the stock.

5. Common rules for all methods

This chapter presents the basic rules that determine the success of all methods: selection, period, strength of the unit, food, volume, varroa and intended future use.

Start from sound foundations. A young colony must have a sufficient population, a queen or a realistic possibility of obtaining one, suitable food stores, a proportionate volume and a good sanitary state.
Multiply only colonies that are worth it. Weak, aggressive, overly swarm-prone, irregular colonies, or those with recurring sanitary problems, should not serve as a basis for multiplication. Eggs, very young larvae, queen cells or queens must come from genuinely interesting colonies.
Respect the favourable period. The months of May and June are often the most appropriate, with adjustments depending on region, altitude, weather and the actual development of the colonies. Forming too early may fail due to a lack of mature drones; forming too late leaves little time before overwintering.
Form a sufficiently strong unit. A young colony that is too weak struggles to keep the brood warm, to build comb, to defend its entrance and to build up its food stores. The brood frames must be well covered with bees.
Avoid the unintentional transfer of the queen. When frames are taken from a parent colony, it must be checked that the queen is not transferred by mistake, unless the method explicitly provides for forming a unit with her.
Adjust the volume of the nucleus box. A nucleus box that is too large slows development and makes it harder to maintain warmth. A constrained unit develops more easily, provided it is enlarged gradually as the population increases.
Ensure food and pollen. A young colony must never run out of food. Food frames, a pollen frame when available and appropriate feeding support the start, especially if the young colony has few foragers.
Prevent robbing. Feeding must remain clean and discreet: avoid syrup spillages, reduce the entrance if needed and intervene rather in the evening when the risk of robbing is high.
Limit unnecessary handling. Young colonies in formation are sensitive to disturbance. Queen cells must be handled with care, and the inspection schedule must respect the chosen method: a mated queen can be checked sooner than a queen reared by the colony.
Integrate the method into the varroa management concept. Methods with brood can remove some of the capped brood from the parent colony; methods without brood create a window during which varroa mites are not protected inside capped cells. This can be useful, but it never replaces varroa monitoring or the recommended treatments.
Do not aim for honey production in the same year. The main objective is to develop a viable colony: queen accepted or reared, drawn comb, food stores built up, good sanitary state and proper preparation for overwintering.

6. The methods in detail

6.1 Natural swarm

This chapter presents the natural swarm as the biological model of colony multiplication, while recalling its limits for a controlled management of the apiary.

The natural swarm is the spontaneous form of colony multiplication. When collected in time and properly rehoused, it can become a vigorous young colony, able to build quickly on recent comb or foundation.

This resource must, however, be used with discernment. Natural swarming can lead to production losses, bee losses, swarms that are difficult to retrieve, and the unintentional multiplication of overly swarm-prone lineages. A natural swarm is therefore a possible opportunity, but it does not replace the controlled management of swarming.

In which situations should a natural swarm be used?

A natural swarm is interesting if it comes from a healthy, vigorous colony worth keeping. Once rehoused, it forms a unit without brood at the start, highly motivated to build and to start over.

However, not all swarms are equivalent. A swarm of unknown origin, or coming from an overly swarm-prone, aggressive, weak or mediocre colony, should not be used without reflection as a basis for multiplication. In that case, a later requeening may be preferable.

Principle of the method

The principle is to capture the swarm, place it temporarily in a swarm box, then install it in a clean hive or nucleus box, with foundation or recent frames. The volume must be adapted to the strength of the swarm.

The swarm must then be followed up like any young colony: check for the presence of a laying queen, monitor food stores, feed if necessary and integrate it into the varroa management concept.

Procedure

Locate the swarm and assess whether it can be captured without danger to the beekeeper, the bees and the people around.
Prepare a clean, well-ventilated swarm box that can be closed.
Lightly mist the cluster with water if necessary, to calm the bees and limit them taking flight.
Shake or brush the cluster into the swarm box, with calm and precise movements.
Place the swarm box nearby, if possible in the shade, with an opening allowing bees still in flight to rejoin the cluster.
Wait for the bees to gather. If they remain grouped in the box, it generally indicates that the queen is inside.
Close the swarm box in the evening, once the bees are inside.
Keep the swarm one or two nights in a dark, cool and quiet place if this step is necessary for the chosen procedure.
Rehouse the swarm in a hive or nucleus box prepared with foundation or recent frames.
Reduce the entrance at the start, especially if the swarm is small or if the risk of robbing is high.
Feed if necessary, particularly if the nectar flow is poor or if the swarm has many frames to build.

Rehousing and feeding

Rehousing is done in a clean hive proportioned to the size of the swarm. A volume that is too large slows the start and complicates the defence of the entrance. A small swarm must therefore be installed in a constrained volume, then enlarged gradually.

Feeding must support comb building without triggering robbing. If a supply is needed, it must be clean, suitable and given discreetly, especially during a dearth.

Inspections after installation

The first inspection should be brief: check that the swarm has remained in the hive, that the bees are building, that food stores are sufficient and that the colony appears calm.

The decisive inspection is to check for a laying queen. A primary swarm with a mated queen can resume laying quickly. A cast swarm with a virgin queen requires more time, since the queen still has to make her mating flight.

If no laying appears after a reasonable delay, the situation must be assessed: queenless swarm, unmated queen, queen lost or weather-related delay. Depending on the case, a queen introduction, uniting with another colony or another suitable measure may be needed.

Link with the varroa management concept

A natural swarm is broodless at the moment of capture: the varroa mites present are therefore on the adult bees. This situation can offer a useful window before the capping of the first brood, but the swarm must be integrated into the varroa monitoring like any other colony. Any treatment depends on the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and on the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Never take risks when capturing a swarm that is hard to reach.
Do not encourage the multiplication of overly swarm-prone colonies or colonies of mediocre quality.
Treat swarms of unknown origin with caution: they may pose sanitary risks. If possible, install them first at an isolated location, under observation, before integrating them into the main apiary.
Rehouse the swarm in a volume suited to its strength.
Provide recent frames or foundation to favour a good restart.
Feed only if necessary, cleanly and without triggering robbing.
Reduce the entrance at the start, especially for small swarms.
Check for a laying queen before considering the colony stable.
Integrate the swarm into the varroa management concept from installation.

The natural swarm can be a good opportunity to form a young colony, especially when it is collected promptly, rehoused cleanly and followed up with rigour. Its main interest is the restart on recent comb and the strong building drive. Its main limitation is the lack of control: genetic origin, swarming tendency, age and condition of the queen are not always known.

6.2 Artificial swarm

This chapter describes the artificial swarm as a controlled method for forming a young colony without brood, with an introduced queen and a restart on recent comb.

The artificial swarm consists in forming a new colony with bees taken from one or several colonies, then installing them on foundation or recent frames, with a queen introduced in a queen introduction cage. Like a natural swarm, it restarts without brood: it must build, organise itself, accept its queen and be fed correctly.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

This method is particularly interesting when strong colonies and a mated queen, or a young queen to introduce, are available. It allows a clean unit to be formed, broodless at the start, to renew the comb and to create a favourable window in the varroa management concept.

It does, however, require good coordination: a queen available at the right moment, a sufficient quantity of bees, immediate feeding and careful queen introduction. An artificial swarm that is too weak or poorly fed starts with difficulty.

Equipment and preparation

Prepare a clean swarm box or nucleus box, foundation or recent frames, a queen introduction cage, a selected queen or one from a chosen colony, and a suitable feeding syrup.

The bees can come from a single strong colony or from several healthy colonies. In every case, take care not to accidentally take a queen that should not enter the artificial swarm.

Procedure

Prepare the nucleus box or swarm box with foundation or recent frames.
Place the queen in a queen introduction cage in the new unit, according to the chosen introduction method.
Take a sufficient quantity of bees from one or several strong colonies, without transferring a queen by mistake. Depending on the season and the format, the artificial swarm must be populous enough to cover the frames quickly.
Brush or shake the bees into the swarm box or directly into the prepared nucleus box.
Provide a feeding syrup immediately, since the bees of an artificial swarm have not necessarily filled their honey stomach as during a natural swarm.
Place the artificial swarm in a dark, cool and quiet place for one or two nights, or according to the chosen procedure, until a homogeneous cluster forms around the queen introduction cage.
Then install the young colony, ideally at a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary, and let the bees orient themselves.
Maintain a regular and suitable feeding until the colony builds correctly and the queen is accepted.

Inspections after formation

The first inspection should be brief. It serves to check the acceptance of the queen, the strength of the young colony and the availability of feed, without unnecessarily disturbing the organisation phase.

If the queen is mated, laying can begin quickly after acceptance. In case of non-acceptance, action must be taken without delay, since a unit without brood and without queen cannot recover on its own.

Link with the varroa management concept

The artificial swarm starts without brood. The varroa mites present are therefore not protected in capped cells, which can create a favourable window before the capping of the first brood. This possibility must not be applied as an automatic recipe: the timing, the product and the method of treatment must comply with the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Form the artificial swarm only with bees from strong, healthy and well-developed colonies.
Avoid creating a unit that is too weak: it will build poorly, will have more difficulty accepting the queen, and will be more sensitive to chilling, robbing and feeding stress.
Do not introduce the queen directly without precaution if the conditions for acceptance are not met.
Feed immediately and regularly, without triggering robbing.
Reduce the entrance if needed, especially while the colony is still small.
Do not consider the artificial swarm as a production colony for the current year: its main objective is to build, accept the queen, develop and enter overwintering correctly.

Properly managed, the artificial swarm is a clean, flexible method that is very useful for renewing the stock. Its main interest lies in the combination of three effects: introduction of a chosen queen, restart on recent comb, and the possibility of integrating the young colony into a coherent varroa strategy from its formation.

6.3 Queenright shook swarm

This chapter describes the queenright shook swarm, which consists in taking the queen with bees to create a unit without brood and to induce a brood break in the parent colony.

The queenright shook swarm consists in forming a new colony with the queen of an existing colony and a sufficient quantity of bees. Unlike a simple split with brood, this method aims to create a unit close to a natural swarm: the queen is present from the start, but the new colony ideally restarts on recent frames or foundation, without capped brood.

This method can be useful for renewing comb, slowing a very dynamic colony, creating a clean break in the brood cycle and integrating the new unit into the varroa management concept. It does, however, require good mastery, since the parent colony is left queenless and must be managed correctly after the intervention.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

The queenright shook swarm is particularly indicated when a young colony with a queen already laying is to be formed quickly, while at the same time inducing a brood break. It can also be used as a management measure in a very strong colony, to reduce swarming pressure without waiting for a natural swarm to leave.

The method is suitable above all if the queen of the parent colony is worth keeping: a gentle, healthy, regular, productive colony that is well adapted to the apiary. It is not recommended if the colony is aggressive, overly swarm-prone, weak or has recurring sanitary problems.

Principle of the method

The queen is removed from the parent colony with a sufficient quantity of bees. This new unit is installed in a clean nucleus box or hive, on recent frames or foundation, then fed to support comb building. The parent colony, now queenless, rears a new queen or receives a queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen.

The central point is the separation of functions: the new unit keeps the queen and restarts like a swarm, while the parent colony must be followed up until a laying queen returns. This follow-up is essential, because a poorly managed queenless colony can lose much time or become problematic.

Procedure

Choose a strong, healthy, well-developed colony whose queen is worth keeping.
Prepare a clean nucleus box or hive with foundation or recent frames.
Find the queen and place her carefully in the new unit.
Add a sufficient quantity of bees, ideally mainly young bees, so that the new colony can build, attend to the queen and maintain good cohesion.
Avoid taking capped brood if the goal is to create a real broodless period in the new unit.
Close the new unit and, depending on the situation, place it at a nucleus apiary or briefly hold it in a dark, cool place before installation.
Feed immediately with a suitable feeding syrup to support comb building and the resumption of laying.
Reduce the entrance if the young colony is still weak or if conditions favour robbing.

What to do with the parent colony?

The parent colony must not be forgotten. After the queen is removed, it becomes queenless. It can rear a new queen itself if it has eggs or very young larvae, but this solution takes time and depends on the mating weather and on the presence of mature drones.

Depending on the objective, a queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen can also be introduced. This decision strongly influences the time before laying resumes. In every case, the parent colony must be inspected at the right time to verify the presence of a laying queen and to avoid leaving an uncontrolled queenless situation to develop.

Inspections after formation

In the new unit with the queen, the first inspection must verify that the queen is present, that the colony remains sufficiently populous, that the bees are building and that food stores are sufficient. Frequent inspections during the reorganisation phase should be avoided.

In the parent colony, the schedule depends on the chosen solution. If the colony rears its own queen, time must be allowed for queen rearing, emergence, the mating flight and the start of laying. An overly early inspection may unnecessarily disturb the colony or lead to a premature conclusion of failure.

Link with the varroa management concept

If the new unit is formed without brood, it can offer an interesting window before the capping of the first brood. The parent colony also undergoes a brood break, which can be useful in the varroa management concept once the initial brood has emerged. In both cases, any intervention depends on the actual state of the brood, on the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and on the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Choose this method only if the queen and the parent colony have qualities one wishes to preserve.
Take care to form a sufficiently populous new unit: a queen alone with too few bees cannot restart correctly.
Do not confuse this method with a simple brood split: the main interest lies in the brood break and the restart on recent comb.
Follow the parent colony attentively, since it becomes queenless after the queen is removed.
Do not automatically multiply colonies in swarming mood if their swarming tendency is excessive.
Feed cleanly and adjust the entrance to limit the risk of robbing.

Properly managed, this method allows a young colony with an already functional queen to be formed quickly, while giving the parent colony the opportunity to renew its queen. Its interest is mainly strategic: it combines renewal, swarm management, brood break and possible integration into a coherent varroa management.

6.4 Brood split

This chapter presents a classic method consisting in creating a nucleus box with brood frames, bees, food stores and a queen to be reared or introduced.

The brood split consists in taking from one or several strong colonies brood frames well covered with bees, completing them with food frames and installing them in a nucleus box. The new unit can then rear its own queen or receive a queen, a queen cell or a virgin queen.

This method is flexible and well suited to the routine management of the apiary. It allows viable young colonies to be formed, helps relieve strong colonies and, depending on the situation, can reduce some of the pressure related to swarming or varroa.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

This method is suitable when the production colonies are strong enough to provide brood and bees without becoming too weak. It is particularly indicated in spring and early summer, when the colonies have plenty of brood, young bees and food stores.

It is useful for forming a colony able to develop progressively, without having to shake a large quantity of bees as for an artificial swarm. It also allows work to start from good parent colonies, thus strengthening selection at the apiary.

Principle of the method

The nucleus box receives several brood frames, ideally with capped brood, open brood, eggs or very young larvae, as well as the bees covering them. Eggs or very young larvae are essential if the young colony is to rear its own queen.

Food frames are added at the sides. The nucleus box must be populous enough to cover the brood, maintain warmth and defend itself, but its volume must remain proportionate to its strength.

Procedure

Choose one or several strong, healthy, calm and well-developed colonies.
Prepare a clean nucleus box, suited to the expected strength of the young colony.
Take 2 to 5 brood frames well covered with bees, depending on the strength of the parent colony and the goal of the young colony.
Make sure that at least one frame contains eggs or very young larvae if the young colony is to rear its own queen.
Carefully check that the queen of the parent colony is not transferred by mistake, unless the method explicitly provides for forming a unit with the queen.
Place the brood frames at the centre of the nucleus box and add food frames at the sides.
If needed, add the bees of an additional frame so that the brood is well covered.
Fill the remaining space with a dummy board, recent drawn comb or foundation, depending on the strength of the unit.
Move the nucleus box on the same day to a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary, or choose a suitable variant if it stays at the same apiary.
Reduce the entrance if the colony is small or if conditions favour robbing.
Provide suitable feeding, especially in the absence of nectar flow or after moving.

With or without queen introduction?

If the young colony rears its own queen, it must have eggs or very young larvae. This solution is simple, but it takes time: queen rearing, emergence, mating, start of laying, then emergence of the first workers.

Introducing a mated queen speeds up development, but requires a well-prepared colony: queenless, sufficiently populous, well fed and made up as much as possible of young bees. A queen cell or a virgin queen represents an intermediate solution, but remains dependent on the weather and on the success of mating.

Inspections after formation

The first inspection should be brief. If the young colony rears its own queen, the presence of queen cells can be checked after a few days, but without shaking, chilling or damaging them.

When several queen cells are present, the beekeeper may decide to keep only one or two well-placed and well-developed cells, in order to limit the risk of a cast swarm.

The decisive inspection comes later: it consists in verifying the presence of a laying queen. One should not conclude failure too early, as the weather can delay mating. By contrast, a young colony lastingly without laying must be corrected promptly.

Link with the varroa management concept

A young colony with brood may carry some of the varroa mites present in the parent colonies, especially with the capped brood. If it rears its own queen, a window can appear once the initial brood has emerged and before the new brood is largely capped. Any intervention must be decided according to the actual state of the brood, the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Do not form a young colony with brood from a weak, sick or doubtful colony.
Do not take too much brood from a production colony that does not have the strength to support it.
Carefully check that the queen of the parent colony is not transferred by mistake.
Ensure enough bees to cover the brood, especially after the possible return of foragers to their original location.
Adjust the volume of the nucleus box to the actual population.
Maintain a sufficient food reserve, without triggering robbing.
Do not unnecessarily disturb queen cells or the young queen during sensitive phases.
Verify the presence of a laying queen before considering the formation a success.

Properly managed, the brood split is a robust and versatile method. Its success rests on three simple conditions: start from good colonies, form a sufficiently strong unit and properly follow up the queen, the food and varroa throughout the start-up phase.

6.5 Combined brood nucleus

This chapter presents the combined brood nucleus, a method that gathers brood from several colonies to form a strong young colony without weakening any single hive.

The combined brood nucleus is a variant of the brood split. It consists in gathering, in a single nucleus box, brood frames from several parent colonies. This method allows a sufficiently strong young colony to be formed while spreading the withdrawal across several production colonies.

Its main interest lies in balance: no parent colony is too heavily weakened, but the young colony receives enough brood, bees and food stores to start well. Its main limitation is sanitary: gathering brood from several colonies can also gather problems if the parent colonies are not impeccable.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

This method is suitable when several strong colonies have a surplus of brood and bees but heavy withdrawal from a single hive is to be avoided. It is particularly indicated in spring and early summer, when the parent colonies are well developed.

It can also be useful in swarm prevention or in integrated varroa management, provided that brood is taken only from strong, healthy, calm and regular colonies. It must not be used to make use of brood from weak, doubtful or mediocre colonies.

Principle of the method

The nucleus box is composed with capped brood, open brood, bees and food stores from several selected colonies. The capped brood quickly provides new bees, while open brood and eggs allow a queen to be reared if no queen is introduced.

If the young colony is to rear its own queen, at least one frame must contain eggs or very young larvae from a colony chosen for its qualities. If a mated queen, a virgin queen or a queen cell is introduced, the composition of the nucleus can be adjusted accordingly.

Procedure

Prepare a clean nucleus box, suited to the expected strength of the nucleus.
Choose several strong, healthy, calm and well-developed parent colonies.
Take from each colony one or more brood frames well covered with bees, depending on the strength of the colonies and the goal of the nucleus.
Carefully check that the queen of each parent colony is not transferred by mistake.
Compose the nucleus box with capped brood, open brood and, if necessary, a frame containing eggs or very young larvae.
Add food frames in sufficient quantity, particularly if weather or nectar flow are uncertain.
Complete with a dummy board, recent drawn comb or foundation depending on the strength of the unit.
If a queen or a queen cell is to be introduced, prepare the young colony according to the planned introduction method.
Move the nucleus box to a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary, or plan a suitable management if it stays at the same apiary.
Reduce the entrance if the colony is still weak or if conditions favour robbing.
Feed if necessary, regularly and without triggering robbing.

With emergency rearing or with an introduced queen?

If the nucleus rears its own queen, it must have eggs or very young larvae. This option is simple, but it takes time and depends on the weather, on the presence of mature drones and on the success of the mating flight. The frame containing the eggs must therefore come from a colony one actually wants to multiply.

Inspections after formation

The first inspection should be limited. It serves to check that the nucleus has enough bees, that food stores are sufficient and that the unit remains calm and coherent. If the nucleus rears its own queen, the queen cells must be inspected only with caution.

The decisive inspection consists in verifying the presence of a laying queen. One should not conclude failure too early: the young queen must emerge, become mature, perform her mating flight and start laying. If no laying appears after the expected delay, the situation must be corrected promptly by introducing a queen, uniting or another suitable measure.

Link with the varroa management concept

The combined brood may also gather some of the varroa mites present in the parent colonies. If the nucleus rears its own queen, a window can appear after the emergence of the initial brood and before the capping of the new brood. This possibility must be integrated into the varroa management concept, without improvised treatment: the actual state of the brood, the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used remain decisive.

Points to watch

Combine brood only from strong, healthy and verified colonies.
Do not use this method to make use of brood from weak, aggressive or doubtful colonies.
Inspect each frame to avoid accidentally transferring a queen.
Ensure that the brood is well covered with bees after the nucleus is formed.
Provide enough food, especially if the young colony is moved or if the nectar flow is poor.
Adjust the volume of the nucleus box to the actual population.
Handle queen cells with care if the nucleus rears its own queen.
Watch the risk of robbing, especially if the nucleus box is small or fed at the apiary.
Follow varroa attentively, since the combined brood can also concentrate part of the infestation.

The combined brood nucleus is an effective method for forming a strong young colony without massive withdrawal from a single hive. It must, however, remain a tool of strict selection and sanitary management: only reliable parent colonies should contribute, and the young colony must be followed up as a unit in its own right.

6.6 Flight nucleus

This chapter describes the flight nucleus, which uses the natural return of foragers to the original location to reinforce a young colony.

The flight nucleus relies on the homing behaviour of foragers. The parent colony is moved, and a new unit is placed at its original location. The foragers returning from flight then quickly reinforce the new nucleus box.

This method is useful when no outapiary is available to move the young colony. It does, however, require good preparation: the new unit must receive brood, food stores and a realistic possibility of obtaining a queen.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

The flight nucleus is suitable when one wants to form a young colony at the same apiary, without moving it several kilometres. It can also serve to relieve a strong colony, reduce swarming pressure or reinforce a unit that lacks foragers.

The method must be carried out in fine weather, during a period of active flight, ideally in late morning or early afternoon. At that time, foragers are numerous outside and will then return to the original location.

Principle of the method

The parent colony is moved a few metres away or to another spot in the apiary. At its original location, a nucleus box is installed, prepared with brood, food stores and, depending on the variant, eggs or very young larvae, a queen cell or an introduced queen.

The new unit quickly receives a large population of foragers. The parent colony, on the other hand, loses some of its foragers and must therefore be monitored in the following days, particularly with regard to its food stores and its overall balance.

Procedure

Choose a strong, healthy and well-developed colony, preferably with many foragers.
Intervene in fine weather, when the bees are flying well, ideally between late morning and early afternoon.
Prepare a clean nucleus box or hive at the original location of the parent colony.
Place brood frames and food frames in it. If the young colony is to rear its own queen, at least one frame must contain eggs or very young larvae.
Carefully check that the queen of the parent colony is not transferred by mistake, unless the chosen variant explicitly provides for it.
Complete with recent drawn comb, foundation or a dummy board, depending on the strength of the unit.
Move the parent colony a few metres away or to another spot in the apiary.
Place the new unit exactly at the original location so that the foragers return to it naturally.
Reduce the entrance if needed and verify that food stores are sufficient.
Also inspect the moved parent colony, since it loses a significant proportion of its foragers.

Queen management

The new unit can rear its own queen if it has eggs or very young larvae. This variant is simple, but it takes time and depends on the mating weather and on the presence of mature drones.

A queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen can also be introduced. A mated queen speeds up the start, but its acceptance must be carefully prepared. A queen cell saves time, but must be handled with caution.

What happens to the moved parent colony?

The parent colony in principle keeps its queen, but loses a significant share of its foragers. It must therefore be inspected to verify its food stores, brood and strength after the intervention.

If it was in swarming mood, a clear decision must be made about the queen cells: remove them all, keep one, introduce a queen, or apply another management method. The aim is to avoid simply moving the swarming problem without solving it.

Inspections after formation

The first inspection of the new unit must verify that the population is sufficient, that the brood is well covered, that food stores are present and that the colony is following the planned route to obtain a queen.

The decisive inspection comes later, when the presence of a laying queen can be checked. Frequent openings during the emergence, mating and start of laying of the young queen should be avoided.

Link with the varroa management concept

The flight nucleus generally contains brood and may therefore carry some of the varroa mites present in the parent colony. A useful window can appear once the initial brood has emerged and before the new brood is largely capped. Any intervention must respect the actual state of the brood, the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Carry out the method during a period of active flight, not late in the evening or in bad weather.
Place the new unit exactly at the original location to gather the foragers correctly.
Provide enough brood, food stores and bees for the young colony to remain balanced.
Verify that the queen of the parent colony is not transferred accidentally.
Monitor the moved parent colony, since it loses some of its foragers.
Do not multiply, without reflection, an overly swarm-prone or mediocre colony.
Avoid frequent inspections during the sensitive phase of rearing or mating of the young queen.
Adjust feeding and the entrance to the risk of robbing.

The flight nucleus is a practical method when one wants to form a young colony at the same apiary by using the natural return of foragers. Its success depends above all on good timing, a sufficiently strong parent colony and attentive follow-up of both units after the split.

6.7 Nurse-bee attraction nucleus

This chapter presents the nurse-bee attraction nucleus, which uses the attractiveness of brood to draw nurse bees up onto brood frames before forming the nucleus box.

The nurse-bee attraction nucleus consists in placing brood frames, first taken without bees, above a strong colony and separated from the queen by a queen excluder. The bees, especially the nurse bees, then move up to cover the brood. The frames can subsequently be transferred into a nucleus box.

This method allows a young colony well stocked with young bees to be formed, while limiting the risk of accidentally transferring the queen. It does, however, require a two-step procedure and good organisation of the equipment.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

This method is suitable when strong colonies with surplus brood are available and when one wishes to form a well-populated nucleus box without spending a long time searching for the queen. It is also useful when one wants to take brood from several colonies without weakening any single colony too heavily.

It must remain reserved for strong, healthy and regular colonies. The brood taken must come from colonies that one is genuinely willing to use as a basis for multiplication.

Principle of the method

Brood frames are taken without their bees, then placed in a brood box or super above a very populous colony, separated from the queen by a queen excluder. The bees gradually move up onto these frames to warm and care for the brood.

When the frames are sufficiently covered, they are transferred into a nucleus box with food frames, possibly a pollen frame, a dummy board and, depending on the objective, an introduced queen, a queen cell or eggs allowing the rearing of a new queen.

Procedure

Choose one or several strong, healthy and well-developed parent colonies.
Take 2 to 5 brood frames, preferably with capped brood and open brood.
Carefully brush or shake off the bees so that the chosen frames are introduced without bees into the attraction step.
Fill the spaces left in the parent colonies with recent drawn comb or foundation, depending on the season and the strength of the colonies.
Place a queen excluder on a strong and very populous colony.
Place above this excluder a brood box or super intended to receive the chosen brood frames.
Install the brood frames between food frames or close to sufficient food stores.
Let the bees move up onto the frames for a few hours or until the next day.
Then transfer the frames now well covered with bees into a prepared nucleus box.
Add food frames, a pollen frame if needed, then constrain the unit with a dummy board.
Introduce a queen, a queen cell, or let the young colony rear its own queen if it has eggs or very young larvae.
Move the nucleus box to a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary, or choose a suitable management if it stays at the same apiary.
Feed if needed and reduce the entrance to limit the risk of robbing.

Queen management

The young colony can rear its own queen if it has eggs or very young larvae. This solution is simple, but it takes time and depends on the weather, on the presence of mature drones and on the success of the mating flight.

Introducing a mated queen allows a quicker start, but requires a well-prepared nucleus box: queenless, sufficiently populous with young bees, properly fed and with a delayed release of the queen. A queen cell or a virgin queen represents an intermediate solution, but also requires caution.

Inspections after formation

The first inspection must verify that the frames are well covered, that food stores are sufficient and that the young colony is following the planned route to obtain a queen.

If the colony rears its own queen, handling must remain limited. Queen cells must not be shaken, chilled or damaged. The decisive inspection comes later, when the presence of a laying queen can be checked.

Link with the varroa management concept

The nurse-bee attraction nucleus contains brood and may therefore carry some of the varroa mites present in the parent colonies. If the young colony rears its own queen, a window can appear after the emergence of the initial brood. Any treatment always depends on the actual state of the brood, the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Take brood only from strong, healthy and regular colonies.
Make sure that the queen cannot move up onto the frames intended for the nucleus: the queen excluder is essential.
Do not let the brood frames chill during handling.
Form a sufficiently populous nucleus box: the brood must remain well covered after the transfer.
Provide sufficient food stores from the formation of the young colony.
Adjust the volume of the nucleus box to the actual population.
Avoid repeated openings during rearing or queen acceptance.
Watch the risk of robbing, especially if the young colony is small or fed at the apiary.

The nurse-bee attraction nucleus is a very useful method when one wants to obtain a young colony well supplied with care bees, while reducing the risk of accidentally transferring the queen. Its success rests on three points: brood of good quality, a very populous attraction colony and a quick transfer into a well-prepared nucleus box.

6.8 Queenright split

This chapter presents the queenright split, which consists in transferring the queen with part of the brood, the bees and the food stores, then following up the parent colony, which has become queenless.

The queenright split consists in forming a young colony with the queen of a strong colony, a few brood frames, bees and food stores. The parent colony becomes queenless and must then rear a new queen or receive a queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen.

This method is useful for intervening in a very strong colony, sometimes already in swarming mood. It allows a young colony to be created that is functional rapidly, while obliging the parent colony to renew its queen or to accept a chosen queen.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

The queenright split is suitable when the parent colony is strong, healthy, well developed and its queen is worth keeping. It can be used in spring or early summer, when the colony has enough brood, bees and food stores to withstand the split.

It is also indicated when a colony enters swarming mood. Removing the queen with part of the bees and brood strongly modifies the balance of the colony, but does not exempt one from subsequently inspecting the queen cells and the development of the parent colony.

Principle of the method

The queen is transferred into a nucleus box with brood frames well covered with bees, food stores and, if needed, additional bees. The young colony remains immediately functional, since it already has a laying queen.

The parent colony becomes queenless. It must then follow a clear path: rear a new queen itself, receive a queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen. This choice strongly influences the time until regular laying returns.

Procedure

Choose a strong, healthy and sufficiently populous colony.
Prepare a clean nucleus box, with food frames and, if needed, a dummy board.
Find the queen and take the frame on which she is found, provided this frame is suitable for the formation of the young colony.
Add one to three other brood frames well covered with bees, depending on the desired starting strength.
Add food frames in sufficient quantity.
If needed, shake or brush the bees of an additional frame to compensate for the possible return of foragers to the original location.
Make sure that the parent colony retains eggs or very young larvae if it is to rear a new queen itself.
Fill the spaces left in the parent colony with recent drawn comb or foundation, depending on the season and the strength of the colony.
Move the nucleus box to a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary, or manage it at the same apiary while taking the return of foragers into account.
Feed the young colony if food stores are insufficient or if the nectar flow does not cover its needs.
Reduce the entrance if the young colony is still weak or if conditions favour robbing.

Management of the parent colony

The parent colony must be followed up with as much care as the young colony. If it is to rear its own queen, it must have eggs or very young larvae. After a few days, it will start rearing queen cells.

If the colony was in swarming mood, the queen cells must be managed clearly. Keeping too many can lead to cast swarms. Removing all cells without a replacement solution can unnecessarily prolong the queenless state. The aim is to lead the colony to a new laying queen.

Inspections after the split

In the young colony with the queen, the first inspection serves to verify that the queen is still present, that laying continues or resumes, that the population covers the brood well and that food stores are sufficient.

In the parent colony, the inspection depends on the chosen strategy. If it rears its own queen, the necessary time must be allowed for emergence, mating and the start of laying. An absence of laying detected too early does not necessarily mean failure; a prolonged absence, on the other hand, must be corrected promptly.

Link with the varroa management concept

The queenright split modifies the brood dynamics: the young colony retains brood, while the parent colony undergoes a brood break until a new queen is installed. This interruption can create a useful window, but any intervention must be decided according to the actual state of the brood, the period, the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Choose this method only if the queen is genuinely worth keeping.
Do not weaken the parent colony excessively, especially during the main flow.
Make sure the young colony has enough bees to cover the brood after the possible return of foragers.
Ensure sufficient food stores in both units, especially if the parent colony loses some of its foragers.
Verify that the parent colony has eggs or very young larvae if it is to rear its own queen.
Manage the queen cells in the parent colony clearly, especially if the colony was in swarming mood.
Avoid automatically multiplying overly swarm-prone, aggressive or irregular colonies.
Adjust the entrance and feeding to limit the risk of robbing.

The queenright split is an effective method for forming a young colony quickly while renewing the queen of the parent colony. It does, however, require attentive follow-up of both parts: the new unit must remain strong enough to develop, and the parent colony must regain a laying queen within a reasonable time.

6.9 Split of a colony in swarming mood

This chapter explains how to turn a swarming mood already under way into a controlled formation of young colonies, without blindly multiplying overly swarm-prone lineages.

The split of a colony in swarming mood consists in intervening in a colony that is already preparing its swarm. The aim is not only to remove queen cells, but to use this dynamic to form one or several young colonies while avoiding the loss of a swarm.

This method can be effective, since the colony often has many bees, abundant brood and queen cells. It does, however, require discernment: systematically multiplying very swarm-prone colonies can reinforce this trait at the apiary.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

This method is indicated when a strong colony shows clear signs of swarming mood: occupied queen cells, strong population, abundant brood, possible slowing of laying or visible preparation for a swarm to leave.

It is only of interest if the colony also has qualities one wishes to preserve: gentleness, vigour, good sanitary state, regular development and good adaptation to the apiary. A regularly overly swarm-prone, aggressive or mediocre colony should not serve as a basis for multiplication.

Principle of the method

The colony is split into several units. The old queen can be placed in a nucleus box with part of the bees, brood and food stores, while the parent colony retains a selected queen cell. It is also possible to form several small nuclei from frames carrying queen cells.

The essential point is to give each unit a clear path to a queen: old queen, well-developed queen cell, introduced queen or possibility of rearing a queen from eggs or very young larvae. Without a queen strategy, the split quickly produces weak, queenless or hard-to-correct units.

Procedure

Choose a strong, healthy colony genuinely worth keeping or multiplying.
Open the colony with care and assess the actual state of swarming mood: number of queen cells, approximate age of the cells, presence of the queen, state of laying and strength of the colony.
Prepare one or several nucleus boxes with food frames, dummy boards and recent drawn comb or foundation.
If the old queen is found, form with her a small colony containing enough bees, brood and food stores.
In the parent colony, keep a well-placed and well-developed queen cell, or introduce a grafted cell if one wishes to better control the genetic origin.
If several nuclei are formed, allocate to each unit at least one brood frame well covered with bees, food stores and a viable queen cell or a replacement solution.
Avoid shaking, chilling or knocking the frames carrying queen cells.
Fill the empty spaces in the parent colony with recent drawn comb or foundation, depending on the season and the remaining strength.
Move the nucleus boxes to a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary, or adapt the method if they stay at the same apiary.
Reduce the entrances of the small units and provide suitable feeding if food stores are not sufficient.

Management of queen cells

Queen cells are the sensitive element of this method. They must be handled with great care: shocks, chilling, unnecessary turning or prolonged exposure can compromise the future queen.

Too many queen cells must also not be retained in the same unit, as this can lead to cast swarms. Conversely, removing all cells without a replacement solution leaves the colony without a clear path to a queen.

What to do with the old queen?

If the old queen is of good quality, she can be placed in a nucleus box with a few brood frames, bees and food stores. This unit then operates as a queenright split and allows the swarming pressure in the parent colony to be greatly reduced.

If the queen is old, poorly performing or comes from a colony one does not wish to keep, it may be preferable to aim for renewal through a chosen queen cell or by introducing a selected queen.

Inspections after the split

Units with a queen already present can be inspected sooner to check laying, strength and food stores. Units depending on a queen cell require more patience: the queen must emerge, become mature, be mated, then start laying.

One should not conclude failure too early. The weather can delay mating. The decisive inspection consists in verifying the presence of a laying queen. If no laying appears after the expected delay, the situation must be corrected by introducing a queen, by uniting or by another suitable measure.

Link with the varroa management concept

The split of a colony in swarming mood can create a brood break in some units, while the transferred frames may contain capped brood and therefore varroa mites. Each unit must be followed up as a colony in its own right. Any intervention depends on the actual state of the brood, the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Do not use this method to multiply, without reflection, overly swarm-prone or mediocre colonies.
Decide clearly which unit receives the old queen, which unit retains a queen cell and which unit possibly receives an introduced queen.
Handle queen cells with great care.
Do not leave too many queen cells in the same unit in order to limit the risk of cast swarms.
Form sufficiently strong units: each nucleus box must have enough bees to cover the brood.
Ensure sufficient food stores and feed cleanly if needed.
Reduce the entrances of small units to limit the risk of robbing.
Later check for the presence of a laying queen before considering the split a success.

The split of a colony in swarming mood is a powerful method, but it must not be confused with a simple emergency reaction. Properly managed, it allows the loss of a swarm to be avoided, young colonies to be formed and queens to be renewed. Poorly managed, it can multiply overly swarm-prone lineages or produce several weak units.

6.10 Nucleus made with super bees

This chapter presents a method that makes use of the bees present in the supers to form a young colony with an introduced queen, without taking brood.

The nucleus made with super bees consists in using part of the bees present in the supers to populate a nucleus box prepared with food, pollen, foundation or recent frames, and an introduced queen. The method is interesting at harvest time, when some colonies are very strong and the supers contain many bees.

This technique in principle does not take any brood. Its success therefore depends mainly on four elements: a sufficient quantity of bees, an available queen of good quality, attentive feeding and prompt follow-up after formation.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

This method is suitable when strong colonies, well-populated supers and an available selected queen are at hand. It can be used around the time of the harvest, provided enough time remains for the young colony to accept its queen, build, start laying and prepare for overwintering.

It is especially useful if one wants to form a young colony without taking brood from production colonies. It is not suitable if the season is already too far advanced, if the colonies are weakened or if no queen of good quality is available.

Principle of the method

A nucleus box is prepared with at least one food frame, if possible a pollen frame, several sheets of foundation or recent frames, and a queen in an introduction cage placed at the centre. Supers well occupied by bees are then placed above the nucleus box, often using a bee escape mounted so as to drive the bees downwards.

Attracted by the queen and by the prepared space, the bees gradually move down into the nucleus box. After about twenty-four hours, the supers are removed and the young colony is closed, moved or briefly placed in cellar confinement, depending on the chosen procedure.

Equipment and preparation

Prepare a clean nucleus box, well closable and suited to the expected quantity of bees.
Provide at least one food frame and, if possible, a pollen frame.
Complete with foundation or recent frames.
Prepare a selected queen, ideally mated, placed in a suitable queen introduction cage.
Provide a bee escape or a device allowing the bees to move down from the supers into the nucleus box.
Provide a feeding syrup to support the start of the young colony immediately.
Adjust the entrance to limit the risk of robbing after installation.

Procedure

Choose one or several strong colonies whose supers are well occupied by bees.
Prepare the nucleus box with a food frame, a pollen frame if possible, foundation or recent frames, and a dummy board if the volume needs to be reduced.
Place the queen in an introduction cage at the centre of the nucleus box, between the frames where the bees should gather.
Place a bee escape on the nucleus box in such a way that the bees can move down into the nucleus box without going back up into the supers.
Place two to three well-populated supers above the device, depending on the desired quantity of bees.
Let the bees move down for several hours, often until the next day.
After about twenty-four hours, remove the supers and close the young colony.
Move the nucleus box to a sufficiently distant nucleus apiary, or place it for one or two nights in a dark, cool and quiet place before installing it at the apiary.
Feed immediately with a suitable syrup, in small quantities if the risk of robbing is high.
Reduce the entrance and monitor the cohesion of the young colony.

Introduction and acceptance of the queen

Success largely depends on the acceptance of the queen. A mated queen allows a quicker start, but must be introduced with caution. The delayed release through a queen introduction cage gives the bees time to get used to her scent.

An overly rapid release should be avoided if the cluster is not yet well established or if the bees seem agitated. Inspection must remain discreet until the young colony forms a coherent unit.

Inspections after formation

A first brief inspection allows it to be verified that the young colony still has enough bees, that food stores are present and that the queen is accepted or in the process of release. Lengthy openings should be avoided, as the young colony does not yet have stabilising brood or a renewed population.

The decisive inspection then consists in verifying the presence of laying. If the queen is mated and accepted, laying can begin quickly. The colony must then be supported by suitable feeding to sustain comb building and the first brood.

Link with the varroa management concept

The nucleus formed with super bees in principle starts without brood. The varroa mites present are then on the adult bees, which can offer a useful window before the capping of the first brood. This possibility does not replace the overall varroa management concept of the apiary: any treatment must comply with the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and with the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Form this type of nucleus only with a sufficient quantity of bees: a unit that is too weak will not build correctly and will accept the queen with more difficulty.
Have a queen of good quality at the right time, ideally mated if the season is already advanced.
Provide food stores from the start: super bees do not necessarily have the complete organisation of a young colony.
Feed cleanly and cautiously so as not to trigger robbing.
Reduce the entrance as long as the colony is small.
Do not form this type of young colony too late if it no longer has time to develop before overwintering.
Quickly verify the acceptance of the queen, then later the presence of laying.
Do not count on honey production in the same year: the goal is to form a viable colony for what follows.

The nucleus made with super bees allows the use of a population available at harvest time, without taking brood. Its main limitation is the dependence on an available queen, on a sufficient quantity of bees and on attentive feeding throughout the start-up phase.

6.11 Small reserve nucleus

This chapter describes the small reserve nucleus as a strategic unit intended to secure queen management and to provide flexibility at the apiary.

The small reserve nucleus is a small young unit, intended above all to secure the management of the apiary. It can serve as a queen reserve, as a backup colony, as a replacement solution in case of queen loss or as a basis for reinforcing another colony later in the season.

This method does not aim to create immediately a production colony. Its main interest is flexibility: having a small living unit available, with a queen or a queen cell, can avoid the need to buy a queen in an emergency or to leave a colony queenless for too long.

In which situations should this method be chosen?

The small reserve nucleus is useful when one wishes to have backup queens or small reserve units for the rest of the season. It can be formed in spring or early summer, when the parent colonies are strong and enough time remains for the small unit to stabilise.

It is particularly interesting for apiaries where the loss of a queen, poor mating or a queenlessness problem can quickly compromise a colony. A well-managed small reserve then provides valuable room for manoeuvre.

Principle of the method

The principle is to form a small unit with a reduced volume, a few bees, a little brood or a queen cell, food stores and, depending on the variant, an introduced queen. This unit must be small enough to be easy to manage, but strong enough to maintain its warmth, feed the brood, defend its entrance and develop.

The small nucleus can be formed in a nucleus box, a mini-hive or a system suited to rearing and keeping young queens. The smaller the volume, the more precise the follow-up must be: food, temperature, population and the risk of robbing become decisive.

Procedure

Choose one or several strong, healthy and calm parent colonies.
Prepare a small clean nucleus box or mini-hive, with a volume suited to the expected quantity of bees.
Introduce a small brood frame well covered with bees, or a sufficient quantity of young bees depending on the system used.
Add a food frame or a food reserve suited to the chosen format.
Provide a pollen supply or a pollen frame if the system and the season allow it.
Introduce a queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen, depending on the goal of the nucleus.
Strongly reduce the entrance, as small units defend themselves poorly against robbing.
Install the nucleus at a suitable location, ideally with a clear orientation to facilitate the return of the young queen after the mating flight.
Feed cautiously, in small quantities, in order to support the colony without triggering robbing.

Queen management

The small reserve nucleus can receive a queen cell, a virgin queen or a mated queen. If a queen cell is used, it must be handled with caution and introduced into a sufficiently populous unit to maintain warmth and provide the necessary care.

If a virgin queen is introduced, success depends on the weather, on the presence of mature drones and on the queen's ability to find her nucleus again after the mating flight. A clearly visible orientation of the entrance can help limit return errors.

If a mated queen is used, the small unit becomes quickly available as a queen reserve. The introduction must, however, remain cautious: even in a small volume, a queen can be rejected if the bees are poorly prepared, too old, hungry or disturbed.

Inspections after formation

The first inspection must be very brief. The aim is to verify that the population remains sufficient, that food stores are present and that the introduced queen, queen cell or virgin queen is accepted. In a small volume, repeated openings quickly chill the unit and can disturb its balance.

The decisive inspection consists in verifying the presence of a laying queen. If mating fails or if the queen disappears, the small unit weakens quickly. It must then be decided promptly whether it should receive a new queen, be united with another colony or be dissolved.

Use of the reserve nucleus

Once stabilised, the small nucleus can be used in several ways. It can supply a queen to a queenless colony, be united with a colony to be reinforced, serve as a basis for a larger nucleus box or be kept as a reserve until autumn if its strength and format allow it.

A small unit must, however, not be overestimated. If it is to overwinter, it must be sufficiently strong, well fed, properly constrained and adapted to the system used. In many cases, a small nucleus is mainly a seasonal tool, intended to secure queen management rather than to become directly a production colony.

Link with the varroa management concept

The link with varroa depends on the composition of the small nucleus: with capped brood, it can contain varroa mites; without capped brood, an intervention window can exist. As these small units have little margin, sanitary follow-up must be precise and any treatment must comply with the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and with the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.

Points to watch

Do not form a nucleus that is too weak: a small unit must remain capable of maintaining its warmth and defending itself.
Strictly adjust the volume to the quantity of bees.
Provide enough food, but feed cleanly and in small quantities to avoid robbing.
Reduce the entrance as long as the unit is small.
Do not open too often, especially during the acceptance, emergence or mating of the queen.
Verify the presence of a laying queen before using the nucleus as a reliable reserve.
Do not use brood or bees from weak, aggressive or doubtful colonies.
Decide early about the final use of the nucleus: queen reserve, reinforcement, uniting or overwintering.

The small reserve nucleus is a strategic tool rather than a production method. Properly managed, it provides safety to the apiary, makes it easier to replace queens and allows a quick response to losses or mating failures. Its success depends above all on the balance between small volume, sufficient population, available food and attentive follow-up.

7 Follow-up of young colonies after their formation

This chapter sets out the essential checks after forming a young colony: queen, food stores, development, robbing, varroa and overwintering preparation.

The formation of a young colony does not stop at the moment the nucleus box is set up. The following weeks are decisive, but the inspections must remain proportionate: check the essential points at the right time, without unnecessarily disturbing the colony.

Point to follow up	What needs to be verified	Point to watch
Queen and laying	Verify whether the young colony has a clear path to a laying queen: introduced queen accepted, queen cell, young queen in mating, or laying already present.	Do not conclude failure too early. A queen from a queen cell must emerge, be mated and start laying.
Food	Inspect the food frames, the availability of pollen and the need for supportive feeding.	Feed cleanly, avoid syrup spillages and intervene rather in the evening if the risk of robbing is high.
Volume of the nucleus box	Adjust the space to the actual population: constrained enough to keep warmth, but not too restricted as the colony develops.	A nucleus box that is too large slows the start. A dummy board allows the volume to be adjusted gradually.
Brood	Once the queen is laying, observe the brood pattern: regularity, extent, presence of eggs and consistency with the age of the colony.	Patchy brood, a laying of drones only or a persistent absence of eggs must be analysed without haste.
Varroa	Integrate every young colony into the apiary's varroa management concept, taking into account the actual presence of brood and the method used.	Any treatment must comply with the BienenSchweiz/ApiService recommendations in force and with the leaflet of the veterinary medicine used.
Robbing	Monitor activity at the entrance, especially after feeding, in periods of dearth or with small units.	Reduce the entrance, avoid prolonged openings and do not leave frames or syrup accessible.
Transfer to a hive	Transfer the young colony when it occupies its volume well, when the queen lays regularly and the population increases.	Do not transfer too early into an excessive volume, nor too late when the colony already lacks space.
Overwintering	Assess whether the colony is strong enough, healthy, well fed and properly constrained to overwinter.	A young colony formed late must be assessed realistically: uniting or reinforcement may be preferable to an uncertain overwintering.
Written record	Record the date of formation, the method, the origin of the queen, laying inspections, feedings and varroa interventions.	These notes facilitate selection, the assessment of methods and management decisions for the following season.

Frequent mistakes to avoid

Forming a young colony that is too weak or installing it in too large a volume.
Opening too often during queen rearing, mating or queen acceptance.
Concluding mating failure too early without taking weather and biological calendar into account.
Letting the young colony run out of food during the first weeks.
Feeding in a way that triggers robbing.
Forgetting to integrate the young colony into the varroa monitoring.
Waiting too long before uniting or correcting a young colony that does not develop.

Follow-up after formation often determines the actual success of the method. A well-formed young colony can fail if it lacks food, if the queen is not checked at the right time or if varroa is neglected.

8. What to do with the young colonies?

This chapter shows how to make use of young colonies after their formation: replacement, reserve, requeening, reinforcement, uniting or selection.

A young colony does not always have the same function. It can become a future production colony, serve as a queen reserve, replace a lost colony, reinforce a weakened colony or be united with another unit. Its value depends above all on its state a few weeks after formation: laying queen, sufficient population, food stores, health and overwintering potential.

Possible use	When to consider it?	Point to watch
Replace a loss	The young colony is strong, healthy, with a laying queen and a regular brood.	Do not promote a weak or doubtful colony to mask a deeper problem of the apiary.
Keep a reserve colony	The young colony can overwinter and serve the following spring to replace, reinforce or build up a production colony.	It must be strong enough, well fed, properly constrained and integrated into the varroa management concept.
Replace a failing queen	The young colony has a good queen and can be united with a colony whose queen is no longer satisfactory.	Decide clearly which queen to keep before any uniting.
Reinforce a weak but healthy colony	The receiving colony is worth keeping, but lacks population after a temporary weakening.	Do not reinforce a chronically weak, sick, aggressive or poorly adapted colony.
Unite with the parent colony	The initial objective was mainly swarm prevention, brood break or temporary creation of a reserve.	Uniting must be prepared to avoid a confused situation or the loss of an interesting queen.
Serve as a queen reserve	A small healthy unit with a laying queen can secure the apiary in case of queenlessness, mating failure or urgent replacement.	Before use, verify laying, brood pattern, behaviour of the bees and the absence of worrying sanitary signs.
Discard or unite a unit without future	The young colony is too weak, lastingly queenless, poorly mated or unable to develop.	In case of sanitary doubt, do not transfer frames, bees or queen to other colonies.

Points to watch

Do not keep a young colony only because it exists: it must have a clear function.
Verify the presence of a laying queen before using a nucleus box as a reliable reserve.
Do not reinforce a weak colony if the cause of its weakness is sanitary or genetic.
Decide which queen to keep before any uniting.
Do not overwinter units that are too weak without realistic prospects.
Integrate all young colonies, including small reserves, into the varroa monitoring.
Avoid distributing frames, bees or queens from doubtful units.
Use young colonies as a tool of selection, not as a mere increase in the number of hives.

A successful young colony is a strategic resource. It provides flexibility to the apiary, allows losses to be replaced, queens to be renewed, good colonies to be reinforced and weak units to be more easily set aside. Its use must remain selective: the goal is to build a more stable, healthier and better-adapted stock.

Author

Serge Imboden; Claude Pfefferlé et Gianluca Gatti

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Creation of young colonies

1. Overview of the main methods

2. Why make increase with young colonies?

3. Which method to choose?

4. Decisions to clarify before acting

5. Common rules for all methods

6. The methods in detail

6.1 Natural swarm

Procedure

See also:

6.2 Artificial swarm

Procedure

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6.3 Queenright shook swarm

Procedure

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6.4 Brood split

Procedure

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6.5 Combined brood nucleus

Procedure

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6.6 Flight nucleus

Procedure

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6.7 Nurse-bee attraction nucleus

Procedure

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6.8 Queenright split

Procedure

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6.9 Split of a colony in swarming mood

Procedure

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6.10 Nucleus made with super bees

Procedure

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6.11 Small reserve nucleus

Procedure

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7 Follow-up of young colonies after their formation

8. What to do with the young colonies?