Oilseed rape starting flowering yet not inspected yet.

[robmort]

The oilseed rape in front of my house is starting to flower but I've not inspected yet due to low temperatures. But the hives are getting busy so, despite people saying no need to open hives yet, I guess I ought wait no longer to see if there's enough brood and space, especially in the nucleus which looks full.
What would you do?

 

[Finman]

The oilseed rape in front of my house is starting to flower but I've not inspected yet due to low temperatures. But the hives are getting busy so, despite people saying no need to open hives yet, I guess I ought wait no longer to see if there's enough brood and space, especially in the nucleus which looks full.
What would you do?

If nuc is full, and you are not going to look the colony it will swarm .

You may add another nuc box with frames under the nuc. The new box will be occupied when needed.

It does not harm the big hive if you look, how full it is . You can add a new box under the brood box like in the nuc.
.

 

[robmort]

Thanks, but the poly nuc is one-piece so can't add underneath, can only transfer to a brood box which involves more disruption.

 

[Finman]

Thanks, but the poly nuc is one-piece so can't add underneath, can only transfer to a brood box which involves more disruption.

Then nothing to be done. I have never been in so bad situation, even if our climate is much more worse than yours.

Put then the new box over, if you cannot put it under.

But what I would do in that situation, I would move the frames to the new box and that box over the fasten box.