The primary function of an empty trap frame without a foundation is to serve as a biological lure that exploits the honey bee’s natural tendency to construct drone comb in open spaces. By placing this open frame at the edge of the brood nest, you manipulate the colony into concentrating Varroa destructor mites into a single, removable location, allowing for physical pest control.
Core Insight: By intentionally creating a space for drone brood, you act on the knowledge that Varroa mites prefer drone cells over worker cells. This technique turns the mites' own reproductive biology against them, concentrating the parasites in a specific frame that can be removed and destroyed before they spread.
The Mechanics of the Trap Frame
Triggering Natural Construction
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) possess a biological drive to build drone cells—larger cells intended for rearing male bees—when they encounter undefined open spaces within the hive.
Strategic Placement
An empty frame lacking a foundation sheet creates this specific environment. By placing it at the edge of the brood area, you guide the bees to fill that specific frame with drone comb rather than standard worker comb.
Why It Works: The Biological Trap
Leveraging Mite Preference
Varroa mites are significantly more attracted to drone brood than to worker brood. The longer gestation period of drone larvae provides the mites with a more advantageous reproductive window.
Concentration of Parasites
Because of this preference, the mites migrate toward the trap frame. This effectively acts as a "sink," drawing a high percentage of the colony's mite population into one specific area.
Physical Containment
Once the queen lays eggs in these cells and the workers seal (cap) the larvae, the mites become physically trapped inside the brood. At this stage, they are isolated from the rest of the colony.
Operational Considerations and Trade-offs
The Risk of Timing
Precision is required when using empty trap frames. You must remove the frame after the cells are capped but before the adult drones emerge.
The Consequence of Neglect
If you fail to remove the frame in time, the drones will hatch, releasing a highly concentrated population of mites back into the hive. This can result in a significantly higher mite load than if you had done nothing at all.
Energetic Cost to the Colony
Constantly requiring bees to draw out new wax comb on empty frames consumes colony resources. This energy expenditure is a trade-off for reducing the parasite load without chemicals.
Implementing DBR Effectively
To successfully utilize the Drone Brood Removal (DBR) process, you must align the technique with your management goals.
- If your primary focus is chemical-free management: Use this method as a cornerstone of your strategy, as it physically removes mites without introducing residues into the hive.
- If your primary focus is preventing infestation spikes: Implement this method early in the season to suppress mite population growth before it reaches critical levels.
Regularly cycling these frames reduces the overall mite pressure, helping to maintain a healthier, more resilient colony.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Function in DBR Process |
|---|---|
| Frame Type | Empty / Foundationless (encourages drone comb) |
| Biological Target | Varroa destructor mite preference for drone larvae |
| Placement | Edge of the brood nest to trigger natural construction |
| Primary Goal | Physical removal of mites before adult drone emergence |
| Critical Timing | Must remove frame after capping but before hatching |
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References
- Richard Odemer, Doris de Craigher. Temporal increase of Varroa mites in trap frames used for drone brood removal during the honey bee season. DOI: 10.1111/jen.13046
This article is also based on technical information from HonestBee Knowledge Base .
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