Nervous about new nucs

[NoelH]

I have two nucs on order but with the weather we are all getting I'm nervous about whether they will be up to scratch. I contacted my supplier and he is unsure whether he can deliver or not. In the event that he can deliver, how can I tell if they are strong enough to survive and hand over what I consider a lot of money for?

 

[Moggs]

There's a Standard for nucs - visit BBKA or FERA BeeBase. An experienced beekeeper with you will be able to tell what is good.

 

[Beeline]

I agree with Moggs - get a beekeeper to go with you. Doesn't have to be that experienced either as a beek in their second year would know whether it presented good value or not.

Good luck.

 

[biglongdarren]

i sold a nuc the other day, brood was on six frames and give them two frames of stores along with it, the stores was even bell heather.
like the other posts say, try and get somebody to go along with you who knows what there looking at.
good luck Darren

 

[mbc]

I have two nucs on order but with the weather we are all getting I'm nervous about whether they will be up to scratch. I contacted my supplier and he is unsure whether he can deliver or not. In the event that he can deliver, how can I tell if they are strong enough to survive and hand over what I consider a lot of money for?

I'd be inclined to get them sooner rather than later.
If you think about it, nucs are either overwintered or newly created, either way they may take a few weeks to be up to specification of 3 or 4 frames of brood for a 5 frame nuc and if I was starting again I'd rather have the excitement of seeing them grow under my own care than anxiously waiting while they expand under the care of the vendor out of sight.

 

[Moggs]

Healthy bees are a big plus! A queen laying well is important, given the dodgy conditions that we have seen over so many months. However, are you going to get the chance of a good inspection? If you are, you should look for settled, though purposeful bees, healthy wings, a strong queen moving 'regally' across the comb, good healthy brood (pearly white c shaped larvae, dry, biscuit coloured cappings), reasonably clean comb, nice fragrance, redolent of a healthy hive, ample stores (including pollen). Generally, if it looks right, it will be right!

 

[VEG]

At least your supplier is being honest with you, sounds like they wont try it on.

 

[eric]

At least your supplier is being honest with you, sounds like they wont try it on.

 

[NoelH]

That's for all the advice. I'll definitely try to get a look at them in advance of picking them up. I'd love to get them sooner rather than lately. I've wanted to get bees for the last two years and I've finally got everything I need to start. My attempt to attract a swarm was laughable.

 

[BeeJayBee]

My attempt to attract a swarm was laughable.

Can't have been worse than using a polystyrene fish box - cleaned out and baited with lemongrass. Didn't work.

 

[Skyhook]

You need to check that there is eggs, larvae and brood in the nucs, and that the queen in there is the mother of the above and preferably of the bees in there. Sometimes nucs are made up by taking a few frames from a hive and popping in a queen, in which case you don't know if she's any good until her offspring take over.

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