Mini Nucs - Which do you prefer and why?

[the naked beekeeper]

Apideas; Kielers; Warnholz...

Before I invest in some for next season, I wanted to source beekeepers practical experiences with each of these before making a commitment.

Any comments are appreciated...

 

[beebreeder]

I use all of the above types, it all depends on you dexterity, the Apidea has three sided frames but I generally find the queen runs to the floor and with hands like dinner plates she is a b****r to catch, the frames however can be removed easily. Kielers are bigger and therefore easier to find and catch the queen and for some reason she tends to stay on the comb, their downside is the fact that the bees stick comb to the walls, this requires a specially fashiond 90 degree blade to cut otherwise you lift out a top bar and leve the comb behind, Wrnholtz much the same. The cheapest is without doubt the swi bine from buzzy bee shop, excellent and cheap, I do not use them as I have loads of Kielers and a few with second storey that I have overwintered. Hope that helps.
Kev

 

[Midland Beek]

I keep meaning to try some petroleum jelly in the handful of Kieler's that I have to stop them sticking comb to the sides and roof.

 

[susbees]

I keep meaning to try some petroleum jelly in the handful of Kieler's that I have to stop them sticking comb to the sides and roof.

Keiler roof not an issue if you pin on a piece of thickish plastic (like the slider in the apidea). Can cut a x for the cell if going that route.

Even apideas get brace comb in the feeders and I agree over the dexterity issue....picking up thirty of the little b*gg*rs before the weekend to hopefully mark and distribute queens and not looking forward to it.

I like my Keilers but not used them extensively.

 

[the naked beekeeper]

I use all of the above types, it all depends on you dexterity, the Apidea has three sided frames but I generally find the queen runs to the floor and with hands like dinner plates she is a b****r to catch, the frames however can be removed easily. Kielers are bigger and therefore easier to find and catch the queen and for some reason she tends to stay on the comb, their downside is the fact that the bees stick comb to the walls, this requires a specially fashiond 90 degree blade to cut otherwise you lift out a top bar and leve the comb behind, Wrnholtz much the same. The cheapest is without doubt the swi bine from buzzy bee shop, excellent and cheap, I do not use them as I have loads of Kielers and a few with second storey that I have overwintered. Hope that helps.
Kev

It does help. Thank you.

 

[Crg]

The cheapest is without doubt the swi bine from buzzy bee shop, excellent and cheap

The downside with swi bine nucs seems to be they don't come with an entrance that can restrict the queen to the nuc.

I use the keilers also. Putting a second storey and overwintering spare queens in them is very useful.

 

[drstitson]

"The downside with swi bine nucs seems to be they don't come with an entrance that can restrict the queen to the nuc."

fairly easy to pin a piece of QE across the front though.

 

[beebreeder]

Put the plastic Q/E on the inside with drawing pin, queens have been damaged when workers try to drag her out, if the qx is insde she can run up the walls

 

[beebreeder]

I keep meaning to try some petroleum jelly in the handful of Kieler's that I have to stop them sticking comb to the sides and roof.


MB
Can you imagine trying to pick a queen up when the hive sides are covered in a slippery substance

 

[Tom Bick]

Does any one make their own

 

[Hivemaker.]

Does any one make their own

Yes i do,as well as using all the above makes,but intend to make up around 200 more wooden one's to a very good pattern i have seen and like, after seeing them in use.

 

[MJBee]

Any chance of a copy of your "good pattern" Hivemaker? I have Apideas but plan to make some cedar mini nucs this winter.

Mike

 

[mbc]

Park supplies do a nifty double mating nuc where ther frames are half size langs and can be clipped together to make a full size lang frame for overwintering ( or for getting them drawn in the first place ) . I like them more than apidea's or kielers

 

[Tom Bick]

Hivemaker somehow I am not surprised at that lol

I asked if anyone made them themselves as I bought two Apideas this year in anticipation for next years queen rearing adventure and currently have a virgin queen in each of them could not resist the opportunity when two good looking qc came my way and kicked of my queen rearing early.

So when the Apideas arrived I was obviously all over them and concluded that it had to be worth a go they look simple enough.

 

[SixFooter]

How about wooden 2 frame nucs? That way no messing about when the queen is mated as the frames can just be moved into a bigger nuc.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Does any one make their own

Yes Tom I do, (I have poly ones too). I could put a link to another forum but that just wouldn't do. (It is currently in intensive care being throttled by those that say they want to save it; all very sad really)

The nucs use modified super frames 140 mm wide x 140 mm high. My nucs have 5 frames usually, made from offcuts of 3/4" ply. A dozen or so frames and the colony will overwinter fine. A margarine tub goes in as the feeder and I use a clear plastic crown board. (Something the Warnholtz could do with). The roof is ply but with a piece of underfloor insulation under it.
The box is an early prototype; the feeder was sealed with wax.

 

[jimmybee]

I like that i think ill have a go at making one or two

 

[jimmybee]

how do you set it up? how many bee's do you put in? and do you put a queen cell in there or a newly mated queen?

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes Tom I do, (I have poly ones too). I could put a link to another forum but that just wouldn't do. (It is currently in intensive care being throttled by those that say they want to save it; all very sad really)

The nucs use modified super frames 140 mm wide x 140 mm high. My nucs have 5 frames usually, made from offcuts of 3/4" ply. A dozen or so frames and the colony will overwinter fine. A margarine tub goes in as the feeder and I use a clear plastic crown board. (Something the Warnholtz could do with). The roof is ply but with a piece of underfloor insulation under it.
The box is an early prototype; the feeder was sealed with wax.

Thanks for that they look just the job I can see the advantages in the slightly larger size.

I will have a go at something similar next year.

 

[DanBee]

Apideas. I have about 90 of them, we've used them since the late 1970's. Still have the original two although this season they've been sidelined for posterity. Simple, logical, well thought out.

Queen catching is easy, you just have to think outside the box; map push-pins are ideal for holding up loose entrance sliders. Apart from that, they just work and work and work.

I don't understand why people invest time, effort and materials in making their own, unless it is purely for the pleasure of it. If you are considering home-made to save a few pennies, bear in mind that any of the commercially available types is cheaper than one queen - mate one queen and you've made your money back, any more and you're in profit!