Mating Nuc comparisons

[waycomgroup]

Is there any comparison sheet of the different Mating nucs, or a listing of what's available? I am looking to buy and am looking for something that will last (so stronger than polystyrene).

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don't know of one here and "search' reveals a lot of posts exploring options
Hopefully your post will get some members posting what they use.
Welcome to the forum by the way

 

[Jimmy]

Polystyrene lasts if you take care of it, particularly taking steps to prevent waxmoths. I know of a beefarmer who are committed to sustainable full sized national wooden hives but go for poly queen mating nucs as they are more effective.
Ged Marshall uses/used Apideas to produce many hundreds of queens annually, I think Jolanta uses poly mating nucs (not sure if Apideas or Warnholz or ?) in Murray McGregors breeding unit. The Abelo Mating Hive is good IMHO but needs more bees to establish than Apidea sized mating boxes. Made from polystyrene it does have the plastic edged surfaces found on other Abelo/Lyson poly hives so is more forgiving of clumsy hive tool use.

 

[Ian123]

Poly mating nucs are perfectly strong enough unless you intend to play football with them

 

[elainemary]

Is there any comparison sheet of the different Mating nucs, or a listing of what's available? I am looking to buy and am looking for something that will last (so stronger than polystyrene).

Apideas in my opinion are best quality, strong, long lasting and very well designed. I looked at all the versions from manufacturers and read a lot of reviews before buying.

Having said, that for mating success and frame compatibility if you only want to produce a few new queens, I now prefer 6 frame Nucs that can be divided into 2x3 frame mating Nucs. These have a central divider with 2 entrances to mate 2 separate queens. Uses standard BS brood frames. Can also be used as a standard 6 frame Nuc.

Think I bought mine from Beekeeping equipment but widely available , here’s an example

Apideas are good for volume mating but they do just that rather than giving enough time to properly assess a queen and her brood pattern. Need to be really on the ball re timings and planning. Needs high beekeeper commitment for success. 2x3 frame mating Nucs overcome a lot of these problems.

Hope this helps

https://www.bee-keeping-equipment.c...A_U0TtKFfKVKOOtcgnJwDUL9iLi4mZFhoCYLkQAvD_BwE

 

[Ian123]

I love the BS nucs but the cortex divider is utter carp. Not used the new alloy divider for the 2x3 frame set up.

 

[Bazzer]

I love the BS nucs but the cortex divider is utter carp. Not used the new alloy divider by for the 2x3 frame set up.

New alloy divider is much better and means the system actally works smoothly

 

[Bazzer]

Is there any comparison sheet of the different Mating nucs, or a listing of what's available? I am looking to buy and am looking for something that will last (so stronger than polystyrene).

I have used both Kieler and Apidea mini-nucs. No problem with strength for either. Kieler slightly larger but cheaper and has wooden top bars which are easier to clean and sterilise - the standard Apidea plastic frames warp in boiling washing soda though you can pay more for heat resistant frames.
I think most of Jolanta's queens are produced in Kielers. They can be left longer without overcrowding so can check whether queen is laying well.
Kieler Mating Hive

 

[Ian123]

I have used both Kieler and Apidea mini-nucs. No problem with strength for either. Kieler slightly larger but cheaper and has wooden top bars which are easier to clean and sterilise - the standard Apidea plastic frames warp in boiling washing soda though you can pay more for heat resistant frames.
I think most of Jolanta's queens are produced in Kielers. They can be left longer without overcrowding so can check whether queen is laying well.
Kieler Mating Hive

Personally prefer the kieler myself the apideas are more expensive and all the bits are a pain.

 

[blackcloud]

Cheap polystyrene are perfectly adequate .
You could even dummy down a standard poly nuc to achieve the same results
I have some alongside an Apidea,however the reason for the price difference quickly becomes apparent in the materials and design features.

 

[Ian123]

W

Cheap polystyrene are perfectly adequate .
You could even dummy down a standard poly nuc to achieve the same results
I have some alongside an Apidea,however the reason for the price difference quickly becomes apparent in the materials and design features.

Having used both what are the design advantages? As for quality of materials they both are poly with some plastic bits, I can’t really find any quality issues. 1 certainly has more fidley plastic bits!

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

One consideration with poly,
Ged had a mouse chew through one corner of a box at start of winter,
And exit through the opposite corner at end of winter.
An awful lot of nucs had a hole in one corner , I was there to view the destruction afterwards.

 

[holmbee]

I use Kieler. Sensible size, reasonable price and simple to set up and then to clean up.

 

[polymath]

Having used Kieler and Apidea - along with the cheaper imitations i now 100% use the Abelo ones. They have so many advantages over any others - no i don't get commission.

Frames are bigger easier to handle for clumsy men like me
As a split box i.e. you split the box to try to mate two queens but can remove a divider to create a 6 frame single box.
As they are slightly bigger no absconding issues.
Built in national feeder, no need to open to feed.
You can stack them, two of the six frames equals one 5 frame Nuc roughly. I overwinter some queens in them stacked 4 or even 5 high, bees like that as it is like a tree almost tall and thin well insulated.
Come the spring i have even done and will do again this year queen rearing i.e. a 5 high stack - then i split it out, and from 4 boxes have 8 ready made mating nucs.

Sure they are not the cheapest but really are very worth while I have about 20 now.
https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/queen-rearing/abelo-mating-hive/

 

[Boston Bees]

New alloy divider is much better and means the system actally works smoothly

Does the nuc now come with the alloy divider included? It still just says "removable divider", which makes me suspicious. Do you still have to buy it separately?

No problem if you don't know

 

[nantmoel]

Last season I moved from Apidea's to Mini Plus, with the Mini Plus you can over winter queens in them. Thornes are the cheapest and extra BB's are £7.70 each.

 

[Ian123]

Does the nuc now come with the alloy divider included? It still just says "removable divider", which makes me suspicious. Do you still have to buy it separately?

No problem if you don't know

I think there an extra!

 

[Boston Bees]

I think there an extra!

Thanks, that's what I suspected.

 

[mbc]

Last season I moved from Apidea's to Mini Plus, with the Mini Plus you can over winter queens in them. Thornes are the cheapest and extra BB's are £7.70 each.

I'm also a big fan of the mini plus and regularly overwinter dozens, very useful bits of kit and very economical in resources, wish the frames lasted a bit longer as they do rot within a season or two.

 

[nantmoel]

I'm also a big fan of the mini plus and regularly overwinter dozens, very useful bits of kit and very economical in resources, wish the frames lasted a bit longer as they do rot within a season or two.

I now buy Dadant super frames and cut the top bar down to suit, far cheaper that what I could find, £36 for 50, in the sales.