Brood and a 1/2

[biglad]

Hi all new to beekeeping . I have a nuc that is in a national now on 10 frames out of 11 . Shall I put a queen excluder on and a super for honey . Or no qe and super for 1/2 brood . And let them build up and forget the honey this year??? I'm off on holiday in two week for a fortnight ... Neil

 

[george]

A couple of hundred miles North of me but fwiw I would put a super over a qe if its foundation , or two supers if you have drawn frames in supers . I assume foundation as your are just starting out .
Still piling stuff into supers here so would expect you to have a chance at a bit of honey , the flow is probably a week or 10 days behind us .
Hopefully someone more local will chip in .
Do a full inspection the day before you go if you have time just to confirm they are not doing anything daft in the brood box .
Just for future info , generally when a colony gets to 7 frames of brood covered in bees its time to add an extra box whether that be supers or a second brood .
G

 

[Poly Hive]

If it's a national invest in another brood box and put that underneath.

Super on 8+ frames of brood 7 is a bit weak yet, and the frames should be well covered in bees.

So I would add below and super above. Then holiday in confidence esp if you give an other super as well.

PH

 

[george]

Oh go on then 7 or 8 frames

 

[alldigging]

How much does it matter if you put a super on a brood box when you install a nuc?

 

[Cazza]

How much does it matter if you put a super on a brood box when you install a nuc?

Not really a good idea as you have then given them a lot of space to heat up, especially if the weather is cold or variable. If you just stick to the BB to start with they have plenty of room for expansion.
Cazza

 

[Poly Hive]

It matters a huge amount.

For arguments sake the weather turns cold on them.

They have already gone from a cosy nuc to a brood box, an expansion of more than 100%, then is added a further 100% space, how hard do you think they are going to have to work to keep the brood temps up?

Worse is because they are having to use every bee available to maintain the brood temps what proportion of the flying bees are available to go and forage?

It is the very worst thing that can be done to them and a responsible beekeeper has the welfare of their charges in mind at all times.

PH

 

[alldigging]

Thanks - I was reading in Hooper last night about using dummies and then adding in frames as they start to fill them up. It makes sense not to give them more space above if you're not overfacing them sideways too.

 

[Poly Hive]

Dummies are fine and a very useful tool when building them up esp if they are insulated ones. Bees love warmth. Which is why I do not use timber units, I find the bees prefer to be warmer than that.

PH

 

[susbees]

Dummies are fine and a very useful tool when building them up esp if they are insulated ones. Bees love warmth. Which is why I do not use timber units, I find the bees prefer to be warmer than that.

PH

Timber. Mmm . Although I do use recycled Kingspan blocks behind dummy boards when it's cool...