Practical Guide: 1.4.4.1 Collective Brood Nucleus
The creation of collective brood nuclei serves colony multiplication, supplementary feeding, or the rehabilitation of weakened stocks. This section summarises the key points of the official Practical Guide 1.4.4.1 and refers to the complete original source.
Official Practical Guide (BGD / SSA) – Summary
Practical Guide: 1.4.4.1 Collective Brood Nucleus
- Purpose: Formation of a collective brood nucleus (several brood combs with bees from different colonies) in order to produce strong, vigorous nucleus colonies or contribute to the rehabilitation of weak colonies.
- Equipment & material: Box/hive for the collective brood nucleus, frames with unused combs, transport material such as carrying boards/protective covers, smoker, hive tool, appropriate protective clothing.
- Principle: Remove brood combs from different healthy colonies in such a way that the queens of the source colonies remain and are not taken; place a balanced number of bees (including sealed brood) into a new brood chamber so that a vigorous collective brood nucleus colony is created.
- Procedure (key points):
- Identify suitable brood combs in different colonies (sufficient open and sealed brood, good bee coverage).
- Prepare the collective brood nucleus: clean, suitable hive with frames and sufficient space for brood and feed.
- Carefully remove the selected brood combs; avoid taking queens from the parent colonies.
- Assemble the brood combs in the collective brood nucleus with sufficient bees; harmonise brood areas for good development.
- Provide sufficient feed (honey/water/sugar syrup) in the nucleus box to ensure adequate nutrition.
- Check the queens in the source colonies to avoid unintended queen losses.
- Tips & notes:
- Work under calm weather conditions and stable bee weather.
- Minimise disturbance of the brood nest to avoid unnecessary stress for the bees.
- Regularly inspect the collective brood nucleus for feed level and brood development.
► PDF of the official practical guide (DE)
► Official overview of practical guides (bienen.ch)
Note: Section Operational concept and practical guides → 1.4.4.1 “Collective Brood Nucleus”.
Summary based on Practical Guide 1.4.4.1. Last review: 01/2026.
Learn more:
- Multiplication of a nucleus
- Practical Guide: 1.4.5 Nucleus – formation at midday
- Practical Guide: 1.4.3 Artificial swarm with queen
- Practical Guide: 4.5.2 Introducing a queen