getting a nuc box.

[rob bone]

Hi everyone
As i have only two colonies is it worth me getting a nuc box. and setting up a nucleus.

 

[steve1958]

I think that would be a wise decision.
You may want to make up an artificial swarm in the spring, or even end up catching a swarm.

 

[blackbrood]

I have two colonies also, I have made more/extra brood boxes/roofs/floors from ply and purchased more frames, as back up equipment, for collecting swarms and expanding my apiary.

Even if I did not want to expand my apiary I would have still made 1 or 2 more hives as spare equipment.

I would suggest extra equipment is very good even if it is just an nuc box.

 

[winmag270]

I have two colonies also, I have made more/extra brood boxes/roofs/floors from ply and purchased more frames, as back up equipment, for collecting swarms and expanding my apiary.

Even if I did not want to expand my apiary I would have still made 1 or 2 more hives as spare equipment.

I would suggest extra equipment is very good even if it is just an nuc box.

you can never have enough spare equipment

 

[johnandyrob]

Or enough space to store it
Regards

 

[MuswellMetro]

Or enough space to store it
Regards

in addition to any extra hives, i also have two roofs, crowns and OMFs, so i can use two supers as a brood box in an emergency

 

[blackbrood]

Or enough space to store it
Regards

I am starting to appreciate that sentiment more and more

BB

 

[oliver90owner]

Last year, I needed a few more stands and OMFs. So I cut for ten.

Cover boards were from a full 2.4 x 1.2 sheet of ply. After all 460mm squares are easier to store than a full sheet!

This year I need a few extra roofs and 95mm ekes, so I intend to cut and machine for ten. As long as the timber is stored carefully, they can go together as and when I need them.

Same with converters for Langstroth to National polynucs.

Very simply, the time taken for me to set up the machines is too time-consuming for a one-off.

Regards, RAB

 

[onriver]

expansion

Anybody else tried the One Size Box? I'm going to have a test run this year - might avoid the problems of juggling different frame sizes I've had when the plans go pear shaped! Last year I struggled with insufficient brood boxes / frames and ended up using supers for swarms, which worked well in the short term but became a problem when I tried to sort them all out later.
Maybe having just the one size will help?

 

[beeboybee]

check out "rose hive' google should sort you out!

 

[onriver]

I've read the book and very interested but have 4 perfectly good (touch wood and wait til March!) hives so I'm not sure - parallel systems this year?

 

[blackbrood]

Anybody else tried the One Size Box? I'm going to have a test run this year -

New to bee keeping this year and that is the line I have gone down for the same reason, all I am using is national brood boxes for everything. I cannot see the point of having 2 different sized boxes

The rose hive as some one else suggest is the same (site here), but IMO it is irrelevant which box you use as long as they are all the same so you could use all supers for instance.

 

[oliver90owner]

The merits and demerits have been discussed previously.

Weight
Extraction
Getting large frames filled, or only part-filled, at times
Amount of free space added at one time early in the year
One size of box
Double brooding


I can see the advantages of one size box for brood (or double brood) but having the same size box for crop, as well, seems one step too far for me. Some can do it and either have a big enough extractor or don't mind extracting tangentially.

Beekeeping choices are numerous whether it is the hive operation, treatment regimes, or whatever. Nothing new in that; most things have been tried in the past and few have been universally adopted. Good job we are not all clones.

Regards, RAB

 

[hedgerow pete]

whilst all you fit ,strong people can can deal with a single box and fair play if i could i would but , me , i shall stick to my 12" by 14" and 5" supers

 

[onriver]

"Beekeeping choices are numerous whether it is the hive operation, treatment regimes, or whatever. Nothing new in that; most things have been tried in the past and few have been universally adopted. Good job we are not all clones."
I agree absolutely - It just not always obvious to beginners like myself what's a useful new direction and what is learning from other people's mistakes!

 

[oliver90owner]

onriver,

YOU will make up your own mind when the time comes, but what a lot of beginners don't understand is all the possible pros and cons for their particular scenario. Taking only some of them into consideration can lead to an ill-iformed decision. Remember most sales hype concentrates on the positives, while quietly ignoring the negatives.

Regards, RAB

 

[Moggs]

RAB, so true. The subtleties are often learned only by hard won experience and 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing! My own planned change to 14x12 is an example of starting out on the wrong foot (for me, at least).

However, with a determined mindset, it is possible to pre-empt misjudged decisions, to a degree. Another example of how this forum works. Many of the answers in the form of others' experiences are dotted throughout these threads.

It is through some fairly random trawling that I have been able to refine my own plans (it is hoped, for the better).

It is not so much that is known, but all that is also there to get wrong that can be a little daunting at times.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

if you have hives of bees you will need hives ( or nucs) without bees for swarm control. They won't wait for you to go get something - you MUST be prepared.