Nuc Floors

[Mogwyth]

Planning on knocking up some nuc boxes from some sheets of marine ply I have. Having done some research, I have found some that have a full varroa floor, others specify wire or solid floor and the rest a solid floor. Also some have a round entrance hole halfway up the end and others a slot at the bottom. The problem I have is there isn't much rational for any of these options, what are your thoughts?

Thanks

Bill

 

[Erichalfbee]

I am at the stage of modifying the floors I have. Increasing their depth so that I can slot in a metal tray which will take the Varrox.
A whole floor varroa mesh is easier to put in rather than, say, half a floor so I suppose that's why you see so many. Lots would argue that you don't need a whole ventilated floor.
I like the slot opening. You can take the entrance block out entirely at the height of the season and you can slot in entrance blocks modified variously to cope with wasps and mice or shut the entrance off entirely.
My bait hives have a round entrance but then these boxes are not "managed"

 

[Peterxix]

Hi Bill, all my Nuc Boxes have separate open mesh floors with a sliding solid panel floor when needed. and the entrance hole is 50mm on C/L up from the bottom, hope that helps Peter

 

[user 6228]

from a thermal perspective the entrance should be as low as possible.

also marine ply has a particulary high thermal conductance

 

[madasafish]

All my nucs have varroa floors with a sliding cover .. plus insulated walls and sides . The roofs also overhang to keep water off.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

None of my nucs have mesh floors - all solid,and unless you are one of these that waste their time constantly counting mite drops, no need.Nucs are just temporary accommodation anyway. If I have bees overwintering in them, they make do with just OA at Christmas time.

 

[oliver90owner]

Nucs for summer use or for over-wintering? Think ahead for your possible future requirements.

What format? Historically, the eleven frame National led naturally, or conveniently to the half sized footprint for the five framed nuc - two could sit under a National roof if you wanted.

6 frames is so much easier for overwintering - and consider making some shallow boxes for feeding, maybe.

Very deep roofs may be a good plan if over-wintering - can cover a shallow box plus insulation on the top and still come down over the main box.

My nuc floors were separate, but the most are now screwed on. I use some odd floorless ones if uniting to change queens.

All my floors are ventilated (no top ventilation at all) for over-wintering. I may not have gone that way so positively if my nucs were just on deep frames. The bulk of mine are 6 frame polys and they don't really need any extra stores to go through the winter quite easily. Almost as big as a deep box, after all!

All entrances are bottom slots for the same reason as derekm, plus it is easier for the bees to clear out any corpses. If using solid floors and elevated entries, give consideration to drainage. OMFs can be partly or completely sealed in very cold weather if required, but remember that the bees cannot clear away the detritus trapped between floor and solid board.

Top insulation is required if overwintering (a couple of mine have had two x 18mm coverboards before now), end panels can be filled with insulation, if they are constructed on similar lines to the National boxes. That leaves the sides to be dealt with.

Now if only for summer use....... much less to think about. If used as bait hives (doubled up?) The top will need a detachable floor and the bottom a solid floor.

So lots to think about, depending on format and use. Have fun.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I am at the stage of modifying the floors I have. Increasing their depth so that I can slot in a metal tray which will take the Varrox.
A whole floor varroa mesh is easier to put in rather than, say, half a floor so I suppose that's why you see so many. Lots would argue that you don't need a whole ventilated floor.
I like the slot opening. You can take the entrance block out entirely at the height of the season and you can slot in entrance blocks modified variously to cope with wasps and mice or shut the entrance off entirely.
My bait hives have a round entrance but then these boxes are not "managed"

Ignore all this......too early in the morning didn't notice NUC

 

[Little John]

So lots to think about, depending on format and use.

Totally agree. After all, a 'nuc' is a size, not a purpose - so, what are you going to use them for ?

If they're to be used for transporting bees, then a mesh floor (or some other form of ventilation) is pretty-much mandatory.

If they're for over-wintering, then a solid floor might be more appropriate - but - much depends on the set-up being used.

I use 22mm holes near the bottom - but that's only because they're so easy to open & close with standard wine corks. All my bee boxes are made thus.

My own preference is for a 6.5-frame nuc - which divides nicely into 2 x 3-frames for mating, or 1 x 6-frame for building-up. (The 0.5 'frame' is the divider which lives in the box permanently) This provides a very flexible format, but one which is unnecessarily complex should mating not be on the agenda.

LJ

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If they're to be used for transporting bees, then a mesh floor (or some other form of ventilation) is pretty-much mandatory.

I have full length bottom entrances (8mm deep), if I need to transport I just tack a piece of OMF mesh offcut over the entrance

 

[Travelator]

I have built nucs with solid floors because that makes it easier to build something reasonably square and robust with limited carpentry equipment and skills. Solid floors are also probably better if you're intending to use them as bait hives.

Open mesh floors would be desirable if the nucs are going to be inhabited for long stretches, or used for transporting bees.

 

[Mogwyth]

So lots to think about, depending on format and use. Have fun.

Indeed thanks for all the (varying) responses, for now all I want is something to stick round the farm in the hope of picking up the odd swarm, anything technical like breeding is a long way down the line.

Bill

 

[Dishmop]

Solid easily removable floors.
Usefull for increasing space in an emergency when you havent got spare full size box/es. Take floor off, fill with frames, take roof of full nuc and plonk empty nuc on top of it......Have done it without even suiting up.

 

[fatshark]

Indeed thanks for all the (varying) responses, for now all I want is something to stick round the farm in the hope of picking up the odd swarm, anything technical like breeding is a long way down the line.

Bill

Remember that the recommended size of a bait hive is about 40 litres (I think) ... whatever, about the size of a National brood box. Honeybee Democracy by Tom Seeley has an excellent description of how he worked this out. A big prime swarm is too much for a nuc box. They're likely to choose somewhere else instead.

Bait hives ... Freebees ... love 'em