expanding brood.

[Msh]

Sorry about already asking a question.
Have I made a mistake?
I recently lost my colony, lost queen I think. The frames all look okay so thought I'd use them. My mini plus is heaving so I put it on crown board with hole over the dadant body with 7 of the frames thinking it would give them a head start. Any thoughts anybody?

 

[Poly Hive]

What is a mini plus?

Bees work up normally.

PH

 

[Msh]

small polystyrene beute hive used for queen raising, it was overwintered.

 

[Poly Hive]

I did it some years ago building up a mini to a full hive but it took 18 months.

PH

 

[Madge]

You could tie the mini plus frames into empty brood frames, and slowly add drawn comb or foundation. When the colony is strong, slowly move the put-together frames to the outside, and remove when empty. I’ve done that. I think it might be easier than asking the bees to move down.

 

[Poly Hive]

So no stress then?

PH

 

[Madge]

Are you replying to me, PH? In which case, why would that be stressful? The frames remain in the same order, and I said expand slowly (that means dummy down excess space).

 

[Poly Hive]

I was and am so putting a mugful of bees who are quite happy in their mini nuc into a brood box which is an increase of space of goodness knows how many percent but it must be over 500 is not stressful? Really?

When I did it I made a super which took three super frames, I dummied that down to one and from there I built them up at THEIR speed. No stress.

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

I was and am so putting a mugful of bees who are quite happy in their mini nuc into a brood box which is an increase of space of goodness knows how many percent but it must be over 500 is not stressful? Really?

When I did it I made a super which took three super frames, I dummied that down to one and from there I built them up at THEIR speed. No stress.

PH

Did you feed copious amounts of candy..... I have moved bees from an overwintered Kieler into a Paynes polly nuc by using a lid with a hole in it on top and taking out the Kieler floor.. takes some time!!

 

[Poly Hive]

I didn't need to feed as there was a very good flow on. As you say it just takes time and insulated dummies. One super frame to two then three and then a seriously dummied up poly BB. One brood frame and then..... and so on. Not to mention winter sticking an oar in. LOL

PH

 

[stevebrowning]

Sorry about already asking a question.
Have I made a mistake?
I recently lost my colony, lost queen I think. The frames all look okay so thought I'd use them. My mini plus is heaving so I put it on crown board with hole over the dadant body with 7 of the frames thinking it would give them a head start. Any thoughts anybody?

Yes this works but it's not the fastest! They move down faster if the crownboard is cut to the size of both hives rather than a little hole. Feed them well too.

 

[Hivemaker.]

What is a mini plus?

A much larger mating nuc, can be a lot more than a mugful of bees in these when established as it sounds like in the op, what MC suggested works well or just shake them into a larger box, mini plus are also used for over wintering, here is one being used in Finland....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hbtRa22qz8

 

[Madge]

I was and am so putting a mugful of bees who are quite happy in their mini nuc into a brood box which is an increase of space of goodness knows how many percent but it must be over 500 is not stressful? Really?

When I did it I made a super which took three super frames, I dummied that down to one and from there I built them up at THEIR speed. No stress.

PH

For the third time, PH, I said increase slowly and dummy down excess space - so, they're not suddenly exposed to a huge empty box.

What you did with the super, mentioned above, is exactly the same. But you've not mentioned that before. You only confirmed that you've used the same method as Msh by placing the mini nuc above a crown board with a hole in it, and that that took the bees 18 months to move down! (Post 4.)

 

[Poly Hive]

I posted what I did with the mini nuc complete with pictures some years ago.

The mini plus is considerably larger than the mini nuc I thought was being discussed. So yes plywood and poly BB would work well.

PH

 

[Madge]

...
The mini plus is considerably larger than the mini nuc ...

Yes, that's why I suggested tying them into brood frames.

PS: Sorry, Hivemaker, I see you've already mentioned this.
Kitta

 

[Msh]

Thanks all for the advice. I'll try giving larger access and bring down some brood frames. I'll let you know how things go