Mini nuc to nuc

[thorn]

When I removed some queen cups in early June, a couple had viable queens in. I put them into mini nucs with a cupful of bees and left them to it.
Pollen is now going in to one of them, so presumably the queen has mated and is laying. How and when do I go about moving them into a nuc? What to I do with the drawn out and partially filled little frames?

 

[Eric knockalt]

When I removed some queen cups in early June, a couple had viable queens in. I put them into mini nucs with a cupful of bees and left them to it.
Pollen is now going in to one of them, so presumably the queen has mated and is laying. How and when do I go about moving them into a nuc? What to I do with the drawn out and partially filled little frames?

Have the same situation ,will be interested to find out remedy

 

[itma]

The normal thing seems to be to introduce the Q to a nuc, and give the mini-colony another princess to bring on.

 

[Bitbybit]

Very interesting post I hope all the experienced beeks bail in with answers

 

[Polyanwood]

If you are saying can you make a full colony from a mini nuc, then the answer is, Yes, but it is not easy to do well. One way is after you have finished queen rearing you put one queen and attach the frames of brood from her nuc to a frame, then when you shake out all the other bees, they go in the nuc box. You add another frame, dummy up, put on syrup and reduce the entrance. Then you add frames of donated emerging bees from other colonies, but you have to judge it right, as if there are not enough bees to cover the brood, it will die.

It is probably not worth doing. It is very difficult to keep the colonoy in balance and it easily gets sick and stressed.

 

[buzz lightyear]

mini nucs are great for mating queens. Best them to move them on into a nuc (made up from a strong colony) then repeat the process as your set up ready for another ripe q cell. I have heard of people building them up from a mini nuc, but it takes an age.

 

[beekeeping4you]

When I removed some queen cups in early June, a couple had viable queens in. I put them into mini nucs with a cupful of bees and left them to it.
Pollen is now going in to one of them, so presumably the queen has mated and is laying. How and when do I go about moving them into a nuc? What to I do with the drawn out and partially filled little frames?

Maybe this could spark some ideas, let the bees do it:
(...and help me to get this vid over the magical 5000 views!)

Regards
Reiner
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXJjWbK4HBo[/ame]

 

[thorn]

Love it!!!

 

[galileo]

I brought an okay queen through winter in a poly dual mini mating nuc. Shee came out with about 500 bees and laid up 4 of the frames. I made an adapter to couple the nuc to a 6 frame wooden nuc, shook all the bees down into the latter, gave them a frame of emerging brood and popped the mating nuc on top above a customised QX. After 3 weeks, all brood had emerged and gone down. The bees were starting to fill the tiny combs with stores so took it off and it's now ready for rearing.

Two days ago, the colony was covering 10 frames with brood on 8, working hard in a super and starting to make cups. All of that in 6 weeks so yes, it can be done, even if the coupling of one box to another is a bit of a palaver.

Best
Marc (on hols but still getting swarm calls!)

 

[Goran]

I am not experienced, but I play this year with mating nucs which are half frame lang ( 5 half frames), one I transferred completely to 5 frame nuc, and lately will go into normal box. Half frames can easily be assembled together or divided. As beginner it took me 5-10 minutes complete " colony" transfer.
As I have no large experience it seems to me like playing with babushka doll ( but from small to large)..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

. As beginner

. As I have no large experience

Beginner! - 40 hives! - don't tell Finman or he'll be having a go at 20 hive owners next

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Beginner! - 40 hives! - don't tell Finman or he'll be having a go at 20 hive owners next

So, I've been away. The following question was unresolved when I left.

Just how many hives does Finman have?

Dusty

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So, I've been away. The following question was unresolved when I left.

Just how many hives does Finman have?

Dusty

Still a mystery Dusty
Maybe cue for anothe Finny classic music you tube clip

Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?

You never know!

 

[Goran]

Beginner! - 40 hives! - don't tell Finman or he'll be having a go at 20 hive owners next

I am in beekeeping just several years.. To don't write too long message - like in many things how is used to say: The more I learn, the less I know..
Also I am grateful for all the knowledge an experience I've got from my mentor.

Approx number is soon to be changed ( I run out of hardware supply at the moment, and honey haven't sold yet..)

These mini nucs are must for the next season, at least 20 of them I have to make, very valuable for my opinion. But time will tell, will see..