Always Syrup a Nuc?

Chunky Plumpy · Jul 11, 2022

Hello.

I'm trying to avoid a repeat of my initial beekeeping experience. On receipt of my first (ever) nuc I did as instructed by the seller and used syrup. It was a very small nuc (3 frames) and mid-June so plenty of forage, the result was a massive amount of stores and a need to move things about in the brood box to give the queen space to work her magic. I didn't need to spin any off in the end.

I wasn't planning on doing another hive but nonetheless I find myself with another nuc, maybe slightly bigger than the first. So, should I use syrup as I'm told it shall encourage the queen to lay, or just let nature do its thing given it is July, blazing hot and blackberry with other July forage is coming on strong?

I would check and manage the brood were it not for the other bit of advice which is to get them into the brood box and leave them for 10 days to settle, so I can't see what is actually going on. Can anyone advice if it is always the case you use syrup on a nuc for the first 10 days or so, or does it depend on the time of year, forage, temperature etc? Cheers, CP.

Swarm · Jul 11, 2022

Leaving them ten days won't hurt but a week after going on the hive won't harm them either. A couple of pints of 1 - 1 syrup will do no harm as they are drawing comb but I doubt they need it.
Adding syrup to nucs is replicating a flow to encourage them to draw the foundations, two weeks ago in the cold and rain, a new nuc would have benefited from a feed but they shouldn't need feeding now.

Chunky Plumpy · Jul 11, 2022

Thanks again @Swarm , I appreciate it is not an exact science but as a newbie it is reassuring to affirm ones own suspicions or deductions. It's all part of the learning process... and there is a lot to learn!! Thank you, CP.

jenkinsbrynmair · Jul 11, 2022

Chunky Plumpy said:
So, should I use syrup as I'm told it shall encourage the queen to lay, or just let nature do its thing given it is July,

You weren't badly advised but the person should have qualified the 'advice' if there is a flow on, there is absolutely no need to give them syrup - they will always build up at their own rate, not what you demand of them, later on, when the flow tails off they will probably slow down comb making but your autumn feeding will soon sort things out.

Boston Bees · Jul 11, 2022

As long as there is decent bee traffic too and fro the entrance, and you aren't in some kind of forage desert, I would never feed in this weather unless the nuc seemed dangerously light. You could reassure yourself by simply weighing the nuc or hefting it. What brand of nuc is it?

Chunky Plumpy · Jul 13, 2022

@Boston Bees I completely subscribe, plenty of forage so hopefully all the activity is not the other hive robbing the new gang! I've not added syrup since my post and left them in peace for a week, so now they are due a peak as they should be settled in.

I'm not experienced enough to know how much a nuc should weigh. It was a polystyrene affair with a large 'dial' on the front covering a far more modest opening. It had a slot/compartment alongside one side if that helps identify it? They didn't stay in it long, transferred the next day to the brood box but compared to a WBC hive I'd never know what proportion of the 'heft' was the bees and what was hive.

I'll inspect in the next day or so, fingers crossed all is well and I'll have my second hive... a year ahead of plan! Cheers, CP.