Growing Nuc. How to proceed?

[paul]

Hello all,
On 21/6/10 a swarm took up residence in a 5 frame nucleus box in my garden.

On 6/7/10 I moved the colony more than 3 miles in preparation to moving them to my out apiary (which is about a 1/4 of a mile from where they originally settled).

Currently (8/7/10), the colony has 3 frames of eggs and larvae and 1 full of honey mostly capped. The remaining frame is drawn out and is starting to be filled with honey.

My question is what can I do next?

My only remaining paraphernalia is a 14x12 brood chamber.

Should I move the bees on standard deep frames into this box with 14x12 frames and foundation and hope that brace comb does not become too much of an issue?

Should I attempt to migrate the colony into the 14x12 box?

Or something completely different?

If,you think I should go down the migratory route, I would welcome your detailed description of how to achieve this.

P.s. the colony will need to be moved from it's current location in 4 weeks at the latest.

All advice gratefully received.
Paul.

 

[oliver90owner]

Should I move the bees on standard deep frames into this box with 14x12 frames and foundation and hope that brace comb does not become too much of an issue?

This seems to be your question as a nuc on standard brood is shortly going to out-grow the box.

Brace comb should be no more of an issue whatever frames/box you have. Wild comb should not be a problem either. There are frame extender kits for this scenario, but I would simply transfer them to 14 x 12 frames as soon as possible by swapping them to the new box and filling any space below the standard frames with something appropriate. They will not be wasting their energyies with building wild comb as there will be no space for it.

Rest of detailed description is as housing any nuc into a full sized box. Documented, I would hope, in nearly all books aimed at new beeks and in most others too.

Regards, RAB

 

[BKF Admin]

Rest of detailed description is as housing any nuc into a full sized box. Documented, I would hope, in nearly all books aimed at new beeks and in most others too.

Regards, RAB

Come on Rab give the new members a quick rundown,I know of a few beeks that read the forum post by post but dont read bee books..

 

[alex]

here's a simple photo example of how to transfer a nuc to a full hive - no complications: http://diary-of-a-beekeeper.blogspot.com/2008/06/transfer-from-nuc-to-hive.html

 

[Poly Hive]

Well Admin I too recommend EVERY beekeeper to have at least one bee book to consult.


The forum is great, of course it is but... ya canna beat a good book.

I have um... more than I should probably. LOL

PH

 

[paul]

Hello Rab,
and thanks for your reply.

With regards to migrating the bees, sorry if I've confused you.
I had in mind something in the order of a Bailey comb change.
So the detailed description I was looking for would include the mechanics of marrying a five frame nuc box and a 14x12 brood chamber.

Sine this operation is not covered by Hooper, Wedmore nor Cramp in their publications (as far as I am able to tell), I thought that someone here might be able to share their experience.

However, as your answer makes clear, perhaps this is all a bit of an over-complication and I should apply the KISS principle.

Do you think that moving the bees into a different box and then moving them soon after to a different site is likely to cause problems?

Thank you Alex for your clear and helpful post.

 

[Black Comb]

I've done something similar, moving a full colony, a 3/4 colony and a nuc. from national to langstroth.

I put the new box (l/s) over the old (made a suitable board) and it worked except :-

Full colony fine
3/4 fine except they made 2 supercedure cells at the bottom
Nuc - bad idea - made s/c cells at top of nat frames (sealed ) but queen still there so left to build up on national.

Next time I do this I'll do a shook swarm as it will save a lot of faffing about.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hello Rab,
and thanks for your reply.

With regards to migrating the bees, sorry if I've confused you.
I had in mind something in the order of a Bailey comb change.
So the detailed description I was looking for would include the mechanics of marrying a five frame nuc box and a 14x12 brood chamber.
.

i think your colony is a bit small for a full bailey change, it is ok for 9 brood frames up to a full 14x12 box but, your little brood on three nationals framesand store frames are not going to able to keep a 14x12 box above them warm enough

if you do try, they you would need to dummy out the 14x12 will poly dummies 3 frames wide ie 6 frames of poly leaving 5 in the middle to draw

so KISS, pack the nuc frames warm way at the entrance with store frame first fill behind with 4 x14x12 then a dummy....as they draw out the 14x12 and fill as stores remove the national stores and briuse it, and put it above the crown board.....the bees will move into the middle of the box, and you cam keepremove one by one the national frames

 

[paul]

Thank you for your guidance Muswell,

 

[jimbeekeeper]

The forum is great, of course it is but... ya canna beat a good book.

I have um... more than I should probably. LOL

PH

Yes I use my one any only book to prop up the end of the beehaus!

Lets not get back to the ususual "Why dont you google it" or "read a book" answers