Is It Too Late To Nuc a Hive?

[markb2603]

I have a hive that has struggled this season due to a number of mistakes on my part, I’ve learnt many lessons on what not to do this year. This particular hive is showing much less activity at the front of the hive in recent times than my other hives. A quick peak when adding Apilife Var tabs shows about 5 seams of bees, very good levels of storage with solid frames of capped stores and a small enough nest in the middle with BIAS. Should I be downsizing this to a nuc? My gut feeling is that I should do. I’m 3 weeks through a treatment cycle and after a very heavy initial fall, numbers are dropping off nicely. I should be finished the treatment cycle on the 28th of September. Should I nuc them then or has the time passed and I should leave them at it until spring?

 

[enrico]

It would be fine to do it down here but it depends on your weather. I would only move them if you are moving from wood to poly, otherwise remove empty frames and put insulation in the gaps cut to size. Or ...... if on wood make an insulated cover out if kingspan to go over the top and down the sides.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

you can nuc them whenever you like if it does them good, it's putting a nuc into a hive that would be a bit daft at this time of the year

 

[Erichalfbee]

Agree with enrico
Dummy down the brood box with PIR, just easier than taking the frames out but putting them into a POLY nuc is fine as well

 

[hemo]

One can fit pir in to empty brood frames either side to dummy down if it is easier. A lump of insulation over the CB also.

 

[ericbeaumont]

gut feeling is that I should do

Go for it. Should take about 8 minutes and Donegal has 17-18C next week.

The faff of finding & cutting PIR to fit, taping the edges, checking again for fit (put nails halfway in the base to stop squashing bees on the floor), asking bees to get out of the way, removing 5 frames and shaking off bees, well, you may as well put the 6 best combs into a poly nuc, shake in the rest of the bees and be done with it.

 

[markb2603]

Thanks. Plenty to think about. The current hive is poly and outside of the 5 seams the rest are full brood combs of capped stores. Just monitoring activity again today, it’s much lower than the other three so I might just do it once treatment is finished next week.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks. Plenty to think about. The current hive is poly and outside of the 5 seams the rest are full brood combs of capped stores. Just monitoring activity again today, it’s much lower than the other three so I might just do it once treatment is finished next week.

so the hive is full? either with bees or capped stores - they will overwinter fine with that setup - it's what you aim for in a full hive