Nucs and mesh floors

[Springer]

I have got together some ply and intend to build a couple of nucs for use this season.
After research I am unsure of the following.
1/ Should a nuc have a full or partial mesh floor or not at all?
2/ What ventilation should be provided up top, presumable dependent on answer to question 1.
Incidentally, I have nearly! over wintered two colonies in home built hives and was told to block off top ventilation as with mesh floors and top ventilation you get to much cold air flow, as in a chimney.
My roofs did not have any ventilation holes drilled, so what is the ideal way to provide ventilation for the spring. i.e. number size and position ?
S

 

[Midland Beek]

1/ That be up to you. My nucs do not have a full mesh floor, but each one has a meshed-over large diameter hole in the floor. I drill these holes more for ventilation rather than varroa.

2/ Bees just tend to block off any 'upstairs' ventilation. If you are overwintering nucs then condensation can be a problem. I think this problem is best combatted in nucs by warmth and greater insulation than by ventilation holes.

 

[MJBee]

Up to a couple of years ago all my nucs were on solid floors, however I have started to change over to OMF to make mite monitoring easier. IMO the way to go.

With an OMF top ventilation is not recommended but a hole in the crown board is necessary to allow feeding - unless you use frame feeders - the hole should be covered when not in use.

I have a 1" hole in two (opposite) sides of the roof covered with mesh to "air" the roof space and prevent mould.

PS Must type faster MB beat me to it

 

[oliver90owner]

Should a nuc have a full or partial mesh floor or not at all?

Your choice. I have some with solid floor and some with OMF.

What ventilation should be provided up top

That might depend on the type of nuc, how big the colony installed. What you might potentially provide does not have to be used in it's entirety.
You are correct that it may depend on your first question.

My roofs did not have any ventilation holes drilled, so what is the ideal way to provide ventilation for the spring.

For a start your roofs should be ventilated. Any moisture moving through the coverboard or erom whereeer it may originate will cause problems if trapped in the roof space. Your question is ambiguous in that it is not clear whether you are enquiring about ventilation of the roof space or arranging top ventilation for the colony.

If on OMF, the ventilation has already been taken care of? If it is the roofspace, drill some holes....

RAB

 

[Springer]

Thanks all, those answers put my mind at rest.
So what I might do is provide open mesh floors and a separate monitoring tray, bit like a seed tray, to put under the nuc when I want to monitor, that should do the job ?
S

 

[drstitson]

whilst you are building the nucs can't you put a couple of grooved battens underneath so you can slot a proper corex/ply board in?

 

[Springer]

Was going to use correx, got an 8 x 4 in stock, but I had in mind the sheet should be 50 mm lower than the mesh to stop the little bug........rs jumping back up?