first time using mating nuc

[Cuddly Bear]

Hi, I'm using a swi bine style mating nuc for the first time. Last weekend I put in a cupful of bees, some fondant and a queen in a butler type cage. I've checked today, the bees are still there and are all over the fondant, and I saw the queen the right side of the QX, but they have not started to draw the comb. How long does it normally take for them to draw the comb? one thought I had is that there may not have been enough nurse bees in the original mix, can older bees comb build?

 

[For want of a better word]

You need young bees.. look at Marburg box on Dave Cushman's ( RIP) web site.


Yeghes da

 

[Thymallus]

Its a fair shake of the frame....get rids of older bees followed by a severe shake to get the younger ones (they tend to cling tighter). Rule of thumb, not 100%.

 

[Cuddly Bear]

Ok... so older bees can recover the ability to make wax... anyone know how long that takes or if there is any other explanation for them not building comb? - its fresh foundation btw.

 

[oliver90owner]

Too early. Ie too cold?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Too early. Ie too cold?

No, not too cold in swi-bines, i put around 90 of them out a week ago and the combs are now all fully drawn from starter strips, combs now containing stores and plenty of pollen, and it has not been as warm here as over in the south east or Oxfordshire.
The wooden mini nucs are also drawing new combs, have been for weeks, keep splitting them, and they keep drawing more new combs.

 

[Thymallus]

Bloody Buckfast Bees for you.....

 

[masterBK]

I fill my apideas from bees taken from demaree tops so more or less every bee is a house bee. Others use bees from supers. I shake them into a washing up bowl , mist them with water and scoop 300mls of bees per apidea.