Frame arrangement

[patrickr]

Hi all

Whenever I move a colony from a nuc to a full-sized (National or national 14 x 12) hive, I dither. Here's how I usually start: I take the frames from the (usually 5-6 frame) nuc and I transfer to the centre of hive (cold way).

Then I dither. Question: If there are uncapped stores (as I would expect), should I leave them next to the brood (on the basis the bees may move the stores around and create laying space themselves), or should I move them further to the edge(s) and insert a couple of frames of foundation to allow the queen to expand her brood. I say foundation as I am short on drawn comb.

I've a couple of nucs that have resulted from splits and are expanding very quickly. I'm concerned that they could late swarm if left. I know I could risk it and leave them as they might be better off in the nuc, but I've had enough of swarms for a year and I don't believe the adage that bees don't swarm in the first year, they have done for me in the past!

Thanks

 

[Markthebuilder]

Watching

 

[jeff33]

At this time of the year I wouldn't put a nuc in the middle of a box surrounded by frames of foundation as brood rearing is slowing down. Put them against a wall, stores, brood and either a frame of foundation and stores if they are very strong or stores and foundation after. That way they expand as they see fit.

 

[Boston Bees]

Hi all

Whenever I move a colony from a nuc to a full-sized (National or national 14 x 12) hive, I dither. Here's how I usually start: I take the frames from the (usually 5-6 frame) nuc and I transfer to the centre of hive (cold way).

Then I dither. Question: If there are uncapped stores (as I would expect), should I leave them next to the brood (on the basis the bees may move the stores around and create laying space themselves), or should I move them further to the edge(s) and insert a couple of frames of foundation to allow the queen to expand her brood. I say foundation as I am short on drawn comb.

I've a couple of nucs that have resulted from splits and are expanding very quickly. I'm concerned that they could late swarm if left. I know I could risk it and leave them as they might be better off in the nuc, but I've had enough of swarms for a year and I don't believe the adage that bees don't swarm in the first year, they have done for me in the past!

Thanks

Putting them to one side of the box is a good idea.

If they have a healthy population I would do exactly what you suggest and insert a frame of foundation (or, indeed, foundationless if that's your thing) on either side of the brood nest (just one on each side, or just one on one side if you want) between the brood nest and the stores. They will be strongly incentivised to fill that internal gap in their hive, and it will give the wax-drawers something to do. If after a week or two they refuse to draw it at least you will know for certain that they don't want more space, and you can just take them out again (or put the whole lot back in a nuc!). If they draw it avidly then you can put another one in ....

Another option (the one I would choose because that's how I keep bees) would be to add a second storey onto the 6-frame nuc, move one or two frames of brood up to create a vertical column of brood, and insert some foundation, so that each of the two storeys goes something like : Honey / Foundation / Brood / Brood / Foundation / Honey.

Or you could just leave them in the nuc of course, as you say.

(Foundation put outside the frames of stores will be ignored and treated as the hive wall at this time of year,)

 

[Swarm]

I've a number of nucs that were in such a position a few weeks ago, I tend to add another box to the nuc rather than move to a hive, the bees do really well in this configuration. I've even added third boxes to some if they are really booming, you can never have too much comb. Mine go into hives when inspected in Spring.

 

[patrickr]

Thanks everyone. My poly nucs don't, unfortunately, allow for adding on top. I think I will go for moving to a hive as advised above (ie. to the side) and then see how they go. If they don't expand, I'll move them back to a nuc for the winter.

 

[Ian123]

If you move them to the side ensure that the entrance is to same side and small or you’ll invite problems. We are only august plenty of time yet. Try feeding small amounts of weak syrup being careful not to splash it about!!! Say 1litre every 5/6 days. I also on good sized Nucs split the brood with a frame. On your next inspection there normally drawn and laid in. Be careful with that though! A less extreme option is put an empty frame tight against the brood area. You can force them to expand. In my area I’d expect them to be occupying a single box by winter. But we get a little heather and ivy in most locations. Ian