apidea querie

[rje66]

Had a box from earlier this summer that due to cold QC failed ,but I left box to its own devices just out of curiosity. As it still contained beesI then added a QC a week ago and I have noticed her on flights around front of hive. My question is as the original number of bees has dwindled can I add more bees and if so what's best method or will a low number of bees keep her happy till she lays, but is this tooo long to wait?
I have a spare empty apidea box that I can get bees from the apiary to transfer to my box in the garden, thoughts?
Hope this makes sense.

 

[For want of a better word]

Similar thread recently... we top our mating nucs with young non flying freshly hatched bees from a brood frame.... take a brood frame covered with bees and gently walk away fifty plus paces from the colony... flying bees will... fly!

Gently shake attached bees into a bucket and gently mist with warm rosemary water... add a mugful of bees to each apidea through sliding floor.

Works for us

Yeghes da

 

[rje66]

Thanks, that all makes sense. So just for clarity ,when a mating nuc is referred to is it an apidea box or a 5 frame nuc or treat both the same??

 

[For want of a better word]

Thanks, that all makes sense. So just for clarity ,when a mating nuc is referred to is it an apidea box or a 5 frame nuc or treat both the same??

I call a mating nuc something that has a small frame, 3 x 3 inches... a NUC.. a three, five or six frame job that take full sized standard national frames... or something in that range..
With NUCs , to boost capacity generally whole frame of brood are added... never (yet!!) had a problem with putting them in with attached young brood bees... remember the ferrymoan masking rosemary water tho!

Yeghes da