Introducing Nucleus to Poly 14 x 12 Hive

[petersbees]

Tried searching to no avail. I have a complete Poly National 14 x12 Hive, given as a Christmas present, and I want to introduce a Nucleus which is on standard National brood frames.

Is it feasible to place the nuc directly into the dummied down 14 x 12 and as the bees muptilpy give 14 x 12's working the smaller frames to the edges then replacing all but one (for varroa control)

Or should I get a standard brood box get the hive going and then do a complete change at a later date


Thanks in advance

 

[Davelin]

You have three choices:

1. Do as you suggest and let them build wild comb under your frames.

2. Put your standard frames in and block off the area underneath with a lump of polystyrene or similar.

3. Add extensions to your frames, you can buy these, I made my own.

All three methods will work, and as with all things some will advocate one way, others another

It will certainly be easier to put the nuc straight into 14x12 rather than transferring from a standard national.

 

[itma]

Its a bit of an FAQ!

No point in postponing the change - you just have more ordinary frames to deal with!

The Thorn*e converter frames aren't as simple as they should be - particularly for 'in use' standard frames, and there are several reports on here that the intended attachment method is flawed, not least because it causes beespace problems. I'm not going to bother with converters for frames currently with brood - hopefully the wild comb I get beneath will be drone brood and cullable for varroa control. I'll probably try something in the workshop with converter additions for pure stores frames.
Just want lots of nice warm weather and a good nectar flow for comb drawing, and then the shorties can be worked to the edge and then out.
Don't give them more than a couple of frames of foundation at a time, and be prepared to feed if need be.

 

[oliver90owner]

A nuc will tend to build wild comb rather than draw foundation. They don't normally build drone comb (unless crowded to the point of needing to swarm) as it is not a large enough colony - although some strains of bee swarm before filling a National deep, it seems.

Mine certainly would not be swarming before filling a box that is for sure - or if they did, that queen line would be terminated.

 

[petersbees]

Thanks for the info. Think I will go along with the dummied down BB and a block under the frames.

Tanks again

 

[itma]

Thanks for the info. Think I will go along with the dummied down BB and a block under the frames.

Tanks again

You just need to consider how you are going to gradually eliminate those shorter frames. The 3.5 inch high block is going to need to be shortened by one frame-space (one and 3/8 inches hopefully) every time you replace a standard frame with a new 14x12. And you'll probably have to take out all the short frames simultaneously to remove the block whilst you trim it down, each time you trim it.
Think ahead as to exactly how you are going to perform that manipulation!

 

[user 6228]

You just need to consider how you are going to gradually eliminate those shorter frames. The 3.5 inch high block is going to need to be shortened by one frame-space (one and 3/8 inches hopefully) every time you replace a standard frame with a new 14x12. And you'll probably have to take out all the short frames simultaneously to remove the block whilst you trim it down, each time you trim it.
Think ahead as to exactly how you are going to perform that manipulation!

precut the foam block into strips put a couple of small dabs of copydex to hold each strip to each other.

As you take a frame out you can split off the blocks with a hive tool or a chisel. a skewer or barbecue tongs nay be needed to fetch the block out. Try it minus bees first.

 

[drstitson]

i'd suggest taking a single block of polystyrene, making several cuts almost whole way through and then just breaking these with hive tool as necessary.

 

[itma]

My point is that this really needs to be considered, and planned/prepared for, *before* you put your block in place!

 

[oliver90owner]

KISS principle. Two halves is plenty. Think about it.

 

[Davidwd]

Could you put your standard bb on top of the 14 x 12, would the bees then eventually work down in the new bb then a qe could be fitted between the boxes and the old bb would then become a honey super.
Would this work?
The reason i ask is i want to change to 14 x 12

 

[itma]

Could you put your standard bb on top of the 14 x 12, would the bees then eventually work down in the new bb then a qe could be fitted between the boxes and the old bb would then become a honey super.
Would this work?
The reason i ask is i want to change to 14 x 12

The bees would more naturally move *up* into a new BB.
However a 14x12 is a pretty big space for a small colony. And a std nat plus a 14x12 is very big. Moving up is a perfectly reasonable way to go with a strong colony and in suitable weather for comb-drawing, if you have both bb's.

Did you know that you can buy (or make) an eke to transform a std wood nat BB into a 14x12?
Maisem*re's fits under the std bb, Th*rnes above it.

 

[Davidwd]

thanks itma,
much appreciated