Practical Guide:1.4.5 Midday nucleus

The establishment of a flying nucleus colony (a nucleus formed at midday from a collective brood nucleus with an additional rearing unit) serves to deliberately supply young colonies with forager bees during the day and to promote their development. The following summary is based exclusively on the official Practical Guide 1.4.5 (BGD/SSA) and refers to the original source.

Official Practical Guide (BGD / SSA) – Summary

Practical Guide: 1.4.5 Flying Nucleus Colony

• Purpose: Formation of a flying nucleus colony to reinforce a collective brood nucleus: during the day, the flying nucleus brings in additional forager bees that support the young nucleus and take over key functions more rapidly.
• Equipment & material: Suitable nucleus box, brood combs and feed combs from healthy colonies, additional honey or sugar syrup, hive tool, beekeeping equipment, appropriate protective clothing.
• Principle: During the day, a collective brood nucleus is established as a starting point; then a group of forager bees is deliberately added so that they accelerate the supply and development of the flying nucleus. This approach makes use of the foragers’ flight activity at midday, when flight intensity is high.
• Procedure (key points):
  • Select suitable strong colonies with an active forager population.
  • Create a collective brood nucleus with brood and bees according to Practical Guide 1.4.4.1.
  • Use midday flight activity: carefully redirect forager bees into the nucleus to increase colony strength.
  • Ensure sufficient feed (honey/sugar syrup) is available in the nucleus to nourish the young population.
  • Carry out regular inspections after formation to monitor feed levels and brood development.
• Tips & notes:
  • Work under favourable weather conditions (warm, little wind).
  • Introduce forager bees with minimal stress (calm handling, no haste).
  • Minimise the risk of robbing: no open feed outside the hive.

► PDF of the official practical guide (DE)

► Official overview of practical guides (bienen.ch)
Note: Section Operational concept and practical guides → 1.4.5 “Flying Nucleus Colony”.

Summary based on Practical Guide 1.4.5. Last review: 01/2026.

Learn more:

• Practical Guide: 1.4.4.1 Collective brood nucleus
• Multiplication of a nucleus
• Practical Guide: 1.4.3 Artificial swarm with queen
• Practical Guide: 4.5.2 Introducing a queen