How to combine a nuc to a hive ?

[prana vallabha]

I have a national hive which as gone Qless , why I don't no , no swarm cells of any kind and she is deffanetly not there so I have a nuc with a good mated Q and would like to know how to go about uniting a nuc to a hive ....
Many thanks in advance

 

[drstitson]

same as hive to hive. 2 brood boxes and newspaper. with dummy boards and insulation.

 

[GorgieBees]

same as hive to hive. 2 brood boxes and newspaper. with dummy boards and insulation.

hiya, I know this may sound daft but with the newspaper, do you use the whole thing? or just a few sheets? broadsheets or tabloid? weekend pullout?

 

[garlicpickle]

I nick newspapers from my neighbour's recycling bin, so my bees get the Daily Mirror regardless of their own preference.

One sheet is sufficient - just enough to cover the top of the original BB and then weigh it down with a queen excluder before putting the new BB on top.

 

[Hawklord]

You could either transfer the nuc frames into a brood box and unite with paper as above or use a uniting board probably on the Cushman site. Basically a crown board with a hole cut out and the whole nuc box without floor sits on the board.

 

[drstitson]

FT normally isn't it? one sheet with a couple of hive tool slashes.

 

[Suzi Q]

I have a national hive which as gone Qless , why I don't no , no swarm cells of any kind and she is deffanetly not there so I have a nuc with a good mated Q and would like to know how to go about uniting a nuc to a hive ....
Many thanks in advance

If it were me I would put in a test frame, just to be sure before uniting.

 

[itma]

FT normally isn't it? one sheet with a couple of hive tool slashes.

Generally broadsheet as tabloids aren't big enough to cover in a single layer.
And yes, the pink shows up clearly and has no nasty bleach ...

// Slashes? More than a pinprick, yes, but I'd suggest as small as you can make with your hive tool.

If it were me I would put in a test frame, just to be sure before uniting.

Good advice - make certain first!

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Generally broadsheet as tabloids aren't big enough to cover in a single layer.

For the Cathedral hives, I would use the Church Times.*

Better class of paper altogether.



Dusty.

* Other religious newspapers are available.

 

[Tim.S]

Telegraph every time. Just the right size. It always amuses me when the bees tear out neat strips and throw them out the front of the hive like discarded Christmas chains!

 

[itma]

For the Cathedral hives, I would use the Church Times.*
...
* Other religious newspapers are available.

Keep taking The Tablets?

 

[Ely]

You could use pages of Ted Hoopers book. Teach them how to be good little bees while uniting

 

[jeff4051]

Sunday Sport in case it goes T**ts up

 

[Erichalfbee]

A short spray of HAZE on the mating surfaces and forget the newspaper

 

[Tom Bick]

You could use pages of Ted Hoopers book. Teach them how to be good little bees while uniting

May be one way to try and get them to read the books

 

[ebee]

As mentioned before, put a test frame in first. You could have a superseded queen in there.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I used a sheet of the grauniad once - they weren't long chucking that out of the hive!

 

[Luminos]

Keep taking The Tablets?

 

[Liam C Ryan]

A short spray of HAZE on the mating surfaces and forget the newspaper

Can you expand a little please on the " mating surfaces".
Liam C

 

[Liam C Ryan]

I would transfer the nuc to a BB first , no need to fill out the BB with frames, and leave for 3 days. Then get one large newspaper page and before you put it on the host hive , mark and put holes in the two inner front corners with a straight pin ,you can put plenty of holes in the paper with the pin if you wish. Open the host hive , smoke off the bees of the edges and put on the newspaper, keep the paper in place with a eek or an empty super.
About one hour before you combine the hives brake the seal between the BB you are going to move and its floor. Braking this seal can agitate the bees so best to have it done a while before you combine so they will be nice a quite. I like to take of the roof off the BB l am moving ,just keeps thing light so l make sure the crown board is secure and the hole in it blocked.
Then when you are ready to combine gently take off the roofs and nice and easy lift your BB onto it host BB no need to use smoke or water spray . You will have to do this early in the morning or late in the evening
If you are doing it early in the morning you can set up the paper on the host hive the evening before. When together leave for 6 or 7 days before you open up and fix up the frames.
What ever way you combine l hope all goes well.
Regards.
Liam C