Nuc of bees

[B+.]

Hi all, im getting my bees in a few weeks so I'm pretty excited , just wondered if i need to get a record book to keep all my info?

A simple page per day diary might be best. Then you can keep track of what you see/do and when you see/do it.
It's a good idea to keep track of
- when you last saw the queen (she should be marked) and/or eggs in worker cells.
- how many frames of brood in all stages (egg/larvae/sealed) so you can chart the development of the colony
- how many frames of food (pollen/open nectar) at times when natural forage is scarce so you know they have plenty of food for their own needs
- how many frames/boxes of sealed honey (weight if you have scales that are accurate enough)

 

[Bakerbee]

I agree but use my phones notes section. I dictate into it during inspections and sometimes photograph for reminders also. However you keep track, do keep track , its easy to forget important details.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Try this which I made up for the association teaching apiary

 

[gp125john]

I bought a nuc from what was meant to be a reputable supplier last year (easibee products) and they were an absolute disaster. It cost me 180 quid and had a queen that wasnt marked, laid in a patchy brood pattern and was a different race to what I was told. The bees were on poor quality frames (and not hoffman spaced as advertised) and were lazy and slow to build up. I felt absolutely ripped off.

My other colony was free and was a cast given to me by a commercial beekeeper, they have an excellent queen, newly mated in my locality, hard working and built up fast. They are also good tempered. I was lucky with this and have now produced some nucs off this colony.

I would be minded to either buy a nuc from a local BKA, or otherwise local keeper rather than a commercial outfit if I ever had to buy more bees but once you get going I am sure its best to produce your own splits.

I have had a good experience with swarm and would happily take a swarm agian and accept i might have to requeen it later down the line if the charactoristics arent good. A swarm is free and a queen only 35 quid if you did need one.

Its probably worth holding off getting bees though until you have got further through the course. Its an absolute joy to keep them but very technical and not for everyone so take your time.

 

[eltalia]

Can anyone tell me who is right here?
Thanks Wardy

No... 'cos essentialy your question only reaches out to a wider version of the very
same advice spectrum you have already explored.

IF this b'kpn gig goes anywhere for you look forward to decades of equipment/resource
purchases, so two (or more) nuclei as a startup is nothing as capital outlay.
Buy another, locally... or buy six, one from each County/Shire around you.
Year 3 you'll have your own version of the answer to this often asked question.

Much like forums Clubs/Associations own their own leverage of ignominy for
new players in directing compliance with set attitudes - best advice there is to attend
as often as you can, listen n0t yap, and soak it up.
Always... always someone will ask or address the question you require airing - so at
least up untill that point you have the measure of whom actually knows what keep
your own counsel.

Bill