Buying nuc

[Barbie bee]

I’m thinking of buying a nuc to expand my apiary. How do I tell if it’s been overwintered? Don’t want to get a failure nuc! Are there any recommendations to buy from

 

[masterBK]

If you have two colonies altready why not create a nucleus yourself? Make it part of swarm control and you will kill two birds with one stone. DIY nucleus production is not exactly rocket science and you will learn quite alot in the process. Most nuclei for sale are, in my opinion, overpriced for what you get.

 

[Ian123]

I’m thinking of buying a nuc to expand my apiary. How do I tell if it’s been overwintered? Don’t want to get a failure nuc! Are there any recommendations to buy from

Not even sure why you would want an overwintered 1now! Buy a couple of queens in if you want and split. Any nuc now would just be taken from a full colony if it’s sold as wintered. Anything still in it’s nuc box is a dud

 

[gp125john]

Or raise your own queens and make a nuc up

 

[thedozzer]

As others have suggested, if you have good strong colonies, and are happy with you bees,
Do a split and save money.
If you want to try a different bread of bee, you can steal a frame or two of brood, and a frame of stores from a colony and buy a queen, and make your own nuc?

 

[B+.]

I’m thinking of buying a nuc to expand my apiary. How do I tell if it’s been overwintered? Don’t want to get a failure nuc! Are there any recommendations to buy from

There is lots of advice available on the National Bee Unit (NBU) website here (https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=167 ) but the one that relates to acquiring bees is here (https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/downloadDocument.cfm?id=532 ). They are pretty general though.

 

[Poly Hive]

Duds?

I have four over wintered nucs which are picking up steam nicely now. I will be hiving them in the next two weeks if not sooner so very far from being "duds".

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

Duds?

I have four over wintered nucs which are picking up steam nicely now. I will be hiving them in the next two weeks if not sooner so very far from being "duds".

PH

Me too..... all the overwintered nucs that have not been hived have brood extensions fitted... pending me getting my arse into gear and knocking up another 35 roofs/brood boxes and floors... what happened to winter?

Chons da

 

[B+.]

what happened to winter?

It was cancelled due to lack of interest ;-)