double 6frame nuc?

[biglongdarren]

i have one 6 frame nuc with a box on top holding 6 shallow frames,the box that the shallow frames are in can be adjusted so that the shallow frames can be removed and replaced by 6 brood frames,
come the spring if the bees are still alive would there be any sense or advantage in having a 6frame double brood nuc??

the 6fame nuc was completely full very late last autumn and i made this up instead of moving into a full hive,
Darren

 

[enrico]

I don't understand why you don't just out them in a normal brood box... What are you trying to accomplish?

 

[biglongdarren]

I don't understand why you don't just out them in a normal brood box... What are you trying to accomplish?

i know next to nothing about keeping bees and was just wondering would there be any sense or use in keeping them in a double nuc thats all,
is there any use to keeping bees in a nuc through out the summer?
Darren

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I ran several 'double nucs' over the summer as I had run out of the brood boxes I needed. Worked fine and have plans for more 'double nucs' next year before the get transfered into double brood box hives (a different style to the ones last year).

 

[Meg]

BLD,

If you keep the double box to get the foundation drawn out in the new brood frames the colony will expand quicker than if you put it in a normal brood box. Hot air rises and all that so easier for the bees to draw the wax out.

After that, then no point unless you are short of equipment. The bees willl need the space if they are any good (and the weather is any good too!).

Meg

 

[iand]

I run some 6 frame nucs overwinter stacked (both with brood frames), they fit 2 side by side under a std roof, a handy configuration & keep each other a bit warmer. In the late summer stacking allows them to move up onto a new frame of foundation gradually as they are able to & draw it from the bottom. The result is a better job made of the frame
Now we are nearly to the start of a new year they will need to be transferred to their new/production home for the season.
You will need the nuc boxes during the summer as at some point you will need to fill them again.
Ian

 

[Rosti]

A nuc to one is almost a full hive to another!
I have two 6 frame nuc's at the mo; except they are 6 by 14x12 frames so not far short of a std national BB. But then I run 14x12 as std and if I need to I can dummy down to 3/4/5 frames in my 14x12 nuc's but still maintain frame size consistency.

keeping your nuc as a single layer also allows you to preserve the nest relationship between frames if you transfer, a doube stack unavoidably breaks it up when you transfer.

If you have a 6 frames national nuc then the next logical step is in to a std nat BB when they are ready in spring, don't see an advantage of running a non-std, effectively double box system. Come swarm season / splitting / donation or what ever you'll be thankfull that all your colonies are standardised and your options are flexible. IMO.

 

[biglongdarren]

i have two 6frame nucs at the moment overwintering,if they live could i keep them in nucs and keep taking frames of emerging brood from them and giving them to my full hives in the spring to help them build up quick?
would this be of any use or advantage??
Darren

 

[Poly Hive]

Only if the recipient hive has enough bees to care for the donation.

The Sec of the Aberdeenshire beekeepers used to start his nucs early then to "cool" them a bit he would use them on the heather with a small super on and took pretty good crops that way.

PH

 

[drstitson]

"Only if the recipient hive has enough bees to care for the donation."

PH - "keep taking frames of emerging brood"

The French also super nucs.

 

[iand]

The Sec of the Aberdeenshire beekeepers used to start his nucs early then to "cool" them a bit he would use them on the heather with a small super on and took pretty good crops that way.

PH

I've heard a similar story, two nucs side by side in a split box, Q ex then super on top. Result 1 super of heather honey.

 

[Poly Hive]

This chap had separate supers taking 5 frames, for his nucs.

PH

 

[biglongdarren]

and why does he keep them in nucs instead of putting them in a bigger hive?whats the reason and advantage to this?
Darren

 

[iand]

and why does he keep them in nucs instead of putting them in a bigger hive?whats the reason and advantage to this?
Darren

He got a box of honey! Which if they were in a bigger hive would not have yielded a surplus, only storing honey in the brood box.
These would not be colonies made up early with the intention of taking them to the heather as a full stock. More likely later made up nucs & only going to because there was space on the trailer for a few extra stocks of bees, a resource to be used.

 

[Poly Hive]

Did, he is fair deed..lol

The advantage was to lose bees to the spiders on the moors and plus to gain some combs of heather honey.

PH