Shaking bees to new equipment

Shaking bees onto new equipment is a labor-intensive method sometimes attempted for American Foulbrood (AFB) management, although it is not reliably effective and carries significant risks. This method involves shaking all bees from an AFB-infected hive into new, clean hive equipment (boxes and frames). The contaminated combs and hive bodies are then destroyed (ideally burned). The premise is that bees themselves do not carry AFB spores internally, and by removing the contaminated comb, the disease cycle can be broken. However, AFB spores can adhere to bee bodies and hive equipment, making complete elimination uncertain. This method is risky and not always recommended by beekeeping experts due to the high risk of AFB recurrence. It is considered a drastic measure for beekeepers resistant to burning, but less effective and more labor-intensive. New hive boxes and frames are required, and a hive tool is used for manipulating frames and hive components during the process.