How late in the season can you hive a swarm?

[bingevader]

Had a good sized swarm in a nuc for several weeks now, whilst we try and sort out a hive.
It doesn't look like anything is going to happen on that front until the beginning of August.
So, will that still be a viable option in terms of them being able to draw out new comb and bring in stores for the winter?
Or, should we look for a plan B in terms of overwintering them in the nuc/brood box or some other means of giving them some more space?
Cheers

 

[dexter's shed]

what type of nuc is it?
if a paynes poly, add a brood box extension to it now so they can draw out more frames now, time it goes into the hive, you may have all the frames drawn and filled, even if a wooden one, make a top sleeve for it and add more frames

 

[bingevader]

I don't know if it's a paynes, but it is polystyrene!
Plan B + A wasn't one I'd considered, but I suppose once they've done the work, a new home might be nice!
The brood box would have to go on top as we don't have another floor, it just wouldn't be the most stable of arrangements.
We have another nuc which would be a possibility I suppose as long as we removed the mesh floor, but then space would still be at a premium.

 

[deanrpwaacs]

Like this ?

 

[bingevader]

Nope.
No side feeder and no whirly black thing.
Has an open mess floor.
The top is flat, not ridged, so we could even sit two on top of each other if we removed the OMF.

 

[REDWOOD]

the answer to your question is in your nuc, how do they look, have they built up quickly, is the queen laying well, how many frames of brood. If you leave it to late and they are packing in stores they will probably decide to swarm.

 

[dexter's shed]

Nope.
No side feeder and no whirly black thing.
Has an open mess floor.
The top is flat, not ridged, so we could even sit two on top of each other if we removed the OMF.

so keep an eye on them, if they fill all the frames in the nuc, and your still not got a hive ready, then put another poly on top and strap them together, hopefully by the time you have your hive ready, all the frames would be filled or nearly filled, and you could transfer them straight over

 

[bingevader]

Cheers all.