Nucs

[deemann1]

I have got six nucs made up from various stages during the summer,cast swarms and just made for increase off my main hives ...
1 . 2frames brood ,5 frame nuc 2018 queen
2. 4 frames brood, 6 frame nuc 2018 queen
3. 7 frames brood ,double nuc ,12 frames, 2018 queen
4 . 1.5 frame brood ,6 frame nuc small cast
5 .5 frame brood, 6 frame nuc 2018 queen
6 .4 frames brood, 5 frame nuc 2018 queen

Should I add risers to some of these and put number 3 in a full brood or should i just let them over winter in nucs ?

 

[Jafer2]

I have got six nucs made up from various stages during the summer,cast swarms and just made for increase off my main hives ...
1 . 2frames brood ,5 frame nuc 2018 queen
2. 4 frames brood, 6 frame nuc 2018 queen
3. 7 frames brood ,double nuc ,12 frames, 2018 queen
4 . 1.5 frame brood ,6 frame nuc small cast
5 .5 frame brood, 6 frame nuc 2018 queen
6 .4 frames brood, 5 frame nuc 2018 queen

Should I add risers to some of these and put number 3 in a full brood or should i just let them over winter in nucs ?

I would say to over winter in nuc. They have a better success rate. Saying that it also depends on how much stores they have too. I overwintered a 2 frame brood in 6 frame nuc. Mine is poly nuc though. It's now a large hive housed in 14x12

 

[Beefriendly]

Mine is poly nuc though.

And that is a very important point. I rarely got a nuc through a winter in a wooden nuc. We are quite high and in a frost pocket. Touch wood not lost a poly nuc. I seal the open mesh floors off as well. Snug as bugs in rugs.

 

[Ian123]

winters a fair way off i would be looking at putting all but numbers 1 and 4 into a bb....if you have other hives i would also look at adding a nice frame of emerging bees to the smaller 2,,,,its amazing how that will speed them along

 

[deemann1]

Thanks for replys 3 of the nucs are poly and 3 are 18 mm marine ply .I guess I'll put the biggest ones in bb and put the small ones in poly nucs . Luckily i made up 7 cedar hives . Funny I started last year with one hive now I got 11 ,

 

[iann41]

ideally, what's the optimum number of brood and store frames in a poly national nuc going into winter? I have 6 frame maisemoor nucs with the feeders which can be adapted to take fondant during the colder months.

 

[Jafer2]

I would say around three frames of brood and the rest stores of pollen and capped honey

 

[SDM]

winters a fair way off i would be looking at putting all but numbers 1 and 4 into a bb....if you have other hives i would also look at adding a nice frame of emerging bees to the smaller 2,,,,its amazing how that will speed them along

Definitely they'll be busting out of those nucs in a few weeks.

 

[iann41]

first time I've used poly nucs this year and a couple are struggling. always combined with a stronger hive but the intention is to buy a queen or two soon and let them build up in the poly nucs.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I would say, treat for varroa and then gentle feed to encourage growth of the colonies and see what you've got in early September. The big one can easily go into a brood box. Might even put some honey in a super with good fortune. You can then use the box they were in for housing one of the other colonies.

 

[MartinL]

OK, so we're in the beginners section here.

It's mid July of one of the best weather periods for some time.

You must surely be asking this question with regard to buying in additional full hives?

Or do you plan to make further splits / additional colonies (in nucs) ready for 2019?

Personally, I'd have my fingers crossed for a long season & be going for full sized colonies out of almost all of them. .

 

[Jafer2]

OK, so we're in the beginners section here.

It's mid July of one of the best weather periods for some time.

You must surely be asking this question with regard to buying in additional full hives?

Or do you plan to make further splits / additional colonies (in nucs) ready for 2019?

Personally, I'd have my fingers crossed for a long season & be going for full sized colonies out of almost all of them. .

That is all an assumption that the weather will stay good which I would assume when it starts raining and low pressure takes hold it will stick and say bye bye to summer and HELLO winter . It would be good for this weather to stay for at least another 2 or 3 months but with a little rain that is badly needed would be great

 

[Millet]

OK, so we're in the beginners section here.

It's mid July of one of the best weather periods for some time.

You must surely be asking this question with regard to buying in additional full hives?

Or do you plan to make further splits / additional colonies (in nucs) ready for 2019?

Personally, I'd have my fingers crossed for a long season & be going for full sized colonies out of almost all of them. .

Any nuc's i have that have been on three frames of brood with the rest of the frames being full of stores have been put in a full hive and they are thriving, all but one that i gifted to a newbee ? .. one of the nucs i put into a full box 4/5 wks ago has two supers on that are quickly filling..

 

[Jafer2]

But wouldn't that be area specific, types of bees and queen? Some parks of the UK are not doing so well where some are doing very well.

 

[Beefriendly]

But wouldn't that be area specific, types of bees and queen? Some parks of the UK are not doing so well where some are doing very well.

It would indeed Jafer. With no forage in some areas it will be a different story. Only the beekeeper in that particular area can judge what is going on. Not necessarily easy for a newcomer unless they are finding their supers capped with honey when it should be obvious
As you correctly surmise, add in colony strength and type of bee kept into the equation it can be difficult to know what is happening
Mate of mine three miles away has 2 colonies of local bees and one colony headed by one of my Buckfast F1's queens I gave him for a comparison. Judging by the local bees it's all over, yet his Buckfast hive is still filling and capping a super every few weeks. He simply can't believe it...his aim was a jar of honey this year.
I don't use this to extol Buckfast but to illustrate how difficult it can be to figure out what is going on.
Mine are still filling for fun ...I'm hoping they do the same on the heather.

 

[deemann1]

My full colonies supers are lighter than they were last week ,everthing here is burnt out with all the hot weather,2 days rain in 10 weeks no forage at the moment very little anyway...
I have black bee's

 

[Millet]

My full colonies supers are lighter than they were last week ,everthing here is burnt out with all the hot weather,2 days rain in 10 weeks no forage at the moment very little anyway...
I have black bee's

Good for you i will tell my dog tomorrow... she will tilt her head and get on with licking her bits..

 

[Hachi]

And that is a very important point. I rarely got a nuc through a winter in a wooden nuc. We are quite high and in a frost pocket. Touch wood not lost a poly nuc. I seal the open mesh floors off as well. Snug as bugs in rugs.

What method do you use to seal off the floors BF Please ?

 

[deemann1]

Good for you i will tell my dog tomorrow... she will tilt her head and get on with licking her bits..

WTF is your prob

 

[Beefriendly]

What method do you use to seal off the floors BF Please ?

Just the inserts that come with the poly floors. No need for a total vaccum type seal.