Buying an overwintered NUC this late

[highgate]

Looking for help here as unfortunately the NUC I was picking up this Friday fell through.

Any one know of overwintered buckfasts for sale? Having been so close to my first bees I’d like to try get some as soon as possible?

All help gratefully received.

 

[Dadnlad]

Not late at all, the season is just beginning. There will be loads of overwintered nucs out there, ask your local association for recommendations

 

[Hachi]

Ask Hivemaker off here

 

[highgate]

Fortunately, I may have just found one in Winchester (fingers crossed)

What are the standard questions that I should ask, and what should the answers be?

 

[colinc]

What is your experience?


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[enrico]

Good to get a look inside but if you don't then ask how many frames have brood on them and are there any food stores in there . is the queen marked with the relevant colour for the year. Is she a swarm queen or a bought in queen or raised on the apiary.
How long have they been in that nuc box.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes
E

 

[Poly Hive]

What frame are they on. As in will it fit your hive. Do you know what hive you have?

How many frames of brood? Should be at least 3 and preferably on to the 4th.

How are they for stores. Do I need to feed?

Is the queen clipped and marked. The marking re the marking scheme is neither here nor there as some are colour blind and so red and green are pretty useless and myself I found yellow pretty hopeless on OSR. So its what you can see that matters.

And of course as you are in the disease obsessed part of the world better ask if the apiary has been inspected recently.

Good luck and all the best with your new friends.

PH

 

[highgate]

What is your experience?


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My experience is all theoretical having joined the local association and taken the intro course.

So total newbee

 

[highgate]

Good to get a look inside but if you don't then ask how many frames have brood on them and are there any food stores in there . is the queen marked with the relevant colour for the year. Is she a swarm queen or a bought in queen or raised on the apiary.
How long have they been in that nuc box.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes
E

What frame are they on. As in will it fit your hive. Do you know what hive you have?

How many frames of brood? Should be at least 3 and preferably on to the 4th.

How are they for stores. Do I need to feed?

Is the queen clipped and marked. The marking re the marking scheme is neither here nor there as some are colour blind and so red and green are pretty useless and myself I found yellow pretty hopeless on OSR. So its what you can see that matters.

And of course as you are in the disease obsessed part of the world better ask if the apiary has been inspected recently.

Good luck and all the best with your new friends.

PH

Thanks for that, good advice.

Want to make sure I give the girls a good welcome

 

[colinc]

My experience is all theoretical having joined the local association and taken the intro course.

So total newbee

That’s what I was wanting to check. As above if not confident (or carefree) ask someone from the association to go with you to look. All the questions are laid out above.


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[enrico]

If your experience is ALL THEORETICAL I am sure there will be someone on here who will let you go through their hives with them for at least one practical lesson and guidance? Any takers close to Highgate who might offer?
E

 

[enrico]

E