maiseis nucs

[Cuckmere couple]

just had 4 arrive

roofs are twice as thick as my last order....very welcome

 

[Angry_Mob]

A good development, the BS Honey nucs which are the same shape had a much deeper roof although they still have a few other good benefits such as the fondant plug.

 

[SDM]

A good development, the BS Honey nucs which are the same shape had a much deeper roof although they still have a few other good benefits such as the fondant plug.

An easy modification

 

[Cuckmere couple]

SDM

show me the modification...

 

[birdsandbees]

An easy modification

I've Modified mine too, okay so in my case only one side can now be used for Syrup but I'm not adverse to topping up if needed if it means I can give more direct access to Fondant in Winter.

 

[BMH]

I have both and have modded the maisies so one side is a fondant feeder.

Nowhere near as practical as the BS honey bees variant but effective nonetheless.

Really struggle to overwinter a single national nuc without feeding fondant.

 

[SDM]

Nowhere near as practical as the BS honey bees variant but effective nonetheless.

Really struggle to overwinter a single national nuc without feeding fondant.

Half the price though when you can pick them up for £22/each. Most of my nucs will need hives before they need feeding. 12 out of 39 have fondant as of yesterday and half of them are just precautionary as im expecting and extended cold spell( well into February). However your right, the double national nucs and commercials dont come close to needing extra.
Double national poly nuc is a great way to winter, i reckon they hit May ahead of the established hives.

 

[BMH]

Yep.

At £22 I'd live with the Maisies for sure. Crazy price.

I'm going to ensure all nucs go into the winter as doubles as I have enough extension boxes. Just need to time the splits so they are big enough to fill it and not too big to need extra space.

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[Eyeman]

I have both and have modded the maisies so one side is a fondant feeder.

Nowhere near as practical as the BS honey bees variant but effective nonetheless.

Really struggle to overwinter a single national nuc without feeding fondant.

Double them up!
Most of my 5 Frame nationals and 14x12's overwinter as doubles. Come spring those that are spare, I sell of a 5 frame nuc of bees and queen in correx nuc and the remaining bees/brood are requeened with one of my overwintered queens.

 

[BMH]

Double them up!
Most of my 5 Frame nationals and 14x12's overwinter as doubles. Come spring those that are spare, I sell of a 5 frame nuc of bees and queen in correx nuc and the remaining bees/brood are requeened with one of my overwintered queens.

View attachment 16385

Yes, I definitely need to ensure they all go into winter as doubles.

I have 25ish on doubles and they dont need anything.

The other 15 are singles and need regular top ups.

My plan this year is to use them all for production colonies but for next years nucs, thats a good plan.

How do you over winter your queens? Tempted to overwinter queens in the 3 frame split of the BS honey nuc but them I am back to square one¬

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Out of interest, what’s the decision thought process for deciding double poly nuc or poly nuc plus extension versus a wooden national?

 

[madasafish]

Out of interest, what’s the decision thought process for deciding double poly nuc or poly nuc plus extension versus a wooden national?

I overwinter 4 or 5 frame lang jumbo nucs . The 4 frame one needs fondant, teh 5 frame ones not..(I have a double 5 frame one which weighed 30kg in autumn.. rammed with honey.

 

[Ian123]

For me its not so much a decision process but what boxes/equipments available...also depends when the nucs are made up. If some are filling a five frame box and i think theres a few weeks left before the weather closes in then i can move them up, double stacked or single box and continue to feed and even encourage them to lay up a frame or 2 extra. Then its just a case of the smaller 1s or breeder queens go into poly for safty sake and the rest get whats left. 1 thing i do like though is matching the size of the colony to the accomodation though, rather against having masses of spare room and rather the cluster fills the box. Like this particularly in wooden equipment they come through cleaner/drier imo

 

[Eyeman]

Yes, I definitely need to ensure they all go into winter as doubles.

I have 25ish on doubles and they dont need anything.

The other 15 are singles and need regular top ups.

My plan this year is to use them all for production colonies but for next years nucs, thats a good plan.

How do you over winter your queens? Tempted to overwinter queens in the 3 frame split of the BS honey nuc but them I am back to square one¬

I've got these old 3 frame nucs I made up 20+ yrs ago which take 2 Hoffman and a non-Hoffman frame. Block of fondant on a reversible crown board and insulation in roof. Not ideal but needs must. Thinking of using an Abelo national spit into 3 nucs with dividers for the improved insultation.

 

[BMH]

Ah ok so you do over winter on three frames as opposed to apideas or something small.

That's good to know.

I'm definitely going to give that a go this year and try and save on early imports

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[Angry_Mob]

An easy modification

Just thinking about it, if I got or made myself a silicone plug and drilled a hole in the floor of the feeder it would be the same thing... possibly.

 

[BMH]

Just thinking about it, if I got or made myself a silicone plug and drilled a hole in the floor of the feeder it would be the same thing... possibly.

How are you going to drill a tapered hole?

 

[Hivemaker.]

How are you going to drill a tapered hole?

Just use a tapered hole cutter, if a tapered hole is really whats needed.

 

[BMH]

Ive only seen the tapered hole cutters for wood upto about an inch in diameter.

BS one is about 70mm across.

Saying that, I suppose a smaller one would work.

I think it would be much easier to just cut a hole out or drill a large hole on one side and leave it at that for feeding fondant.

Last thing you want is ALL the syrup dripping through a poorly drilled hole/poorly fitted plug

 

[Hivemaker.]

Ive only seen the tapered hole cutters for wood upto about an inch in diameter.

BS one is about 70mm across.

Plenty for sale online up to 65mm...but why not just cut a straight hole and use a tapered cork/plug.