Making up a nuc....leave queenless for 24 hours or not?

[user 20297]

As above, I would appreciate getting the benefit of the experience of others. If the transferred bees are left for any length of time, won't they start preparations to make a queen of their own?

 

[ericbeaumont]

If you go down that road (I do) then shake every frame and remove EQCs after 24 hours, though greater certainty of acceptance arrives when there are no further larvae to make their own.

Feeding syrup helps acceptance.

 

[Curly green finger's]

As above, I would appreciate getting the benefit of the experience of others. If the transferred bees are left for any length of time, won't they start preparations to make a queen of their own?

Aldepends what frames you put in the nuc ie a complete split or you make a nuc with emerging brood and food.
I've found making my nucs small and adding emerging frames no cells to knock down.. And as Eric Says feeding syrup or honey helps with any intro.

 

[user 20297]

Aldepends what frames you put in the nuc ie a complete split or you make a nuc with emerging brood and food.

I'm thinking of making two small nucs with just enough of everything to make them viable.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I'm thinking of making two small nucs with just enough of everything to make them viable.

Sounds like a plan two frame or bigger?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm thinking of making two small nucs with just enough of everything to make them viable.

Remember wasps are round the corner
I’d be much happier with 2 frames of sealed and emerging brood a frame of stores a drawn frame and one of foundation at this time of year

 

[Curly green finger's]

Remember wasps are round the corner
I’d be much happier with 2 frames of sealed and emerging brood a frame of stores a drawn frame and one of foundation at this time of year

They are but they are late, you could make a two frame very strong within a few weeks... I would make sure a small nuc has loads of nurse bees to bulster the comb building and feed little and often with honey or syrup or a mix.
Dani remember my 1 and two frame nucs I made well they are in single brood with supers on.

 

[user 20297]

Remember wasps are round the corner
I’d be much happier with 2 frames of sealed and emerging brood a frame of stores a drawn frame and one of foundation at this time of year

Thank-you. Good advice; but I'm a bit of a gambler, (with a bit less at stake than the ones who "follow" the horses.) I'm not wanting to weaken the two colonies I'm taking from and need the nucs just to fill the box before winter. I'll maybe be as generous as you suggest with the option of paying the donors back later.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As above, I would appreciate getting the benefit of the experience of others. If the transferred bees are left for any length of time, won't they start preparations to make a queen of their own?

yes - get the new queen in there ASAP - don't even bother with making a cup of tea.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

If you make up nucs in the same apiary, especially without a queen, it's not uncommon for pretty well all the bees to fly back home leaving frames without any bees, and a cold queencell if that's what's in it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you make up nucs in the same apiary, especially without a queen, it's not uncommon for pretty well all the bees to fly back home leaving frames without any bees, and a cold queencell if that's what's in it.

stuff some grass in the entrance

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Yes, but doesn't always work. (Like most things in beekeeping)!

 

[user 20297]

yes - get the new queen in there ASAP - don't even bother with making a cup of tea.

Thanks for very positive advice....I hope it's excusable to have my cup of tea just now, before I've even opened the hives?

 

[user 20297]

If you make up nucs in the same apiary, especially without a queen, it's not uncommon for pretty well all the bees to fly back home leaving frames without any bees, and a cold queencell if that's what's in it.

It will be the same apiary, but I've got a mated queen for each nuc.

 

[Erichalfbee]

yes - get the new queen in there ASAP - don't even bother with making a cup of tea.

Yes I do that. One out next in

 

[ericbeaumont]

Yes I do that. One out next in

I'll try it.

 

[Swn58]

If you make up nucs in the same apiary, especially without a queen, it's not uncommon for pretty well all the bees to fly back home leaving frames without any bees, and a cold queencell if that's what's in it.

When I make up queenless nucs, ready for a new queen, I do the following: I select at least two frames of sealed brood and one of stores.
If I have the time I will shake the chosen frames, add a queen-excluder, then put the frames in another brood-box above the hive for an hour of so. It guarantees that only mainly worker-bees head up to populate the frames above and there is definitely no queen hiding!
The frames then go in the nuc box, then I fill the void with undrawn frames. I add at least half a kilo of fondant to the feeder. They are then shut down for at twenty four hours, especially if they are staying in the apiary. I find that the imprisoned bees then accept their new home when released.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Sounds like a plan two frame or bigger?

Shoot me down but I would make 2 or 3 frame if you have the material to add at a later date then so be it.
But just feed.
The method above would work well never thought of doing it that way @Swn58

 

[Etton]

Yes I do that. One out next in

Would that also work, taking a mated queen out of a nuc (or apedia) and replacing at the same time with a virgin queen ( from my egg incubator)? If so would you cage the new queen to start with?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Would that also work, taking a mated queen out of a nuc (or apedia) and replacing at the same time with a virgin queen ( from my egg incubator)? If so would you cage the new queen to start with?

You’d be better asking somebody who makes queens.