Overwinter poly nucs adding a extra box

[tom8400]

Hi all another newbie dilemma (I should know by now but options are helpful)

I managed to get 3 poly nucs through or so far,

Nuc 1 was started earlier 6 frame and added extra 6 brood on top which they filled with stores pre winter they never touched fondant, will wait until April to move to a wooden national

Nuc 2 started 3 weeks later never filled the nuc so they never got a second box they have started taking a bit of fondant, would it be advisable to add a extra 6frame brood on top they look rather busy through the clear cb I made.

Nuc 3 was a wall rescue in late Aug added a new queen September I put them in a national as it was comb I banded in frames they took to the newer frames after a few attempts they only occupied 3/4 frames so I moved them too a poly nuc to help them through, they take fondant swiftly are start drawing foundation in the fondant tubs so I'm thinking of adding another box to them? While it's warmer.


However I understand temperature may drop even if it is nice today, if they were in wooden nucs like I used previously I'd leave alone but poly should stop to much heat escaping and maybe it's got them started earlier

Thoughts welcomed

 

[Ian123]

As soon as it’s warm enough have a look. Pointless us guessing. When you’ve had a look tell us what was needed. I removed some frames of stores from some poly Nucs the other day to give laying space.

 

[Boston Bees]

Hi all another newbie dilemma (I should know by now but options are helpful)

I managed to get 3 poly nucs through or so far,

Nuc 1 was started earlier 6 frame and added extra 6 brood on top which they filled with stores pre winter they never touched fondant, will wait until April to move to a wooden national

Nuc 2 started 3 weeks later never filled the nuc so they never got a second box they have started taking a bit of fondant, would it be advisable to add a extra 6frame brood on top they look rather busy through the clear cb I made.

Nuc 3 was a wall rescue in late Aug added a new queen September I put them in a national as it was comb I banded in frames they took to the newer frames after a few attempts they only occupied 3/4 frames so I moved them too a poly nuc to help them through, they take fondant swiftly are start drawing foundation in the fondant tubs so I'm thinking of adding another box to them? While it's warmer.


However I understand temperature may drop even if it is nice today, if they were in wooden nucs like I used previously I'd leave alone but poly should stop to much heat escaping and maybe it's got them started earlier

Thoughts welcomed

I have a nuc that I am having this dilemma about. It's my only 6 frame nuc (others nucs are double boxed 6 over 6). There's lots of activity. I don't want to go digging the brood nest apart quite yet though to find out what is going on as there are some cold nights coming (we have hail forecast on Friday here in Yorkshire!). And I don't want to put 6 frames of foundation above their heads anyway, as even in a poly nuc this would risk making it much harder for them to keep a 35C brood nest I think?

As such I am going to inspect them properly in a week's time, when the weather seems to be turning warmer on a more settled basis. End March is still on the early side for me, but I will make an exception for this particular nuc. If they need more space I will add it below, not above.

Between now and next Sunday they will survive on 6 frames I am sure.

If the nuc was of the type where the brood box was separate from the floor then I would just lift the brood box and roof up and put a new box below them now, without needing to inspect at all. But that's not an option with this particular nuc (it's an all-in-one Maisemore).

Others may disagree though.

 

[tom8400]

Sounds like we're both in same boat, I don't want to go digging about either so unfortunately I can't let you know what I see Ian it's too early to risking squishing queen for my liking. I've not squished one yet but I feel there are a few other risks of moving frames around.

I guess this is a bit of a problem with all these poly nucs with fixed floors, however I am pleased with the way they seem to have coped through the winter.

Il leave it another week, see what the weather does maybe it'll give me long enough to get 3 hives ready

 

[tom8400]

Added tyesterday while weather was nice hopefully they will draw them out a bit over these few nice days before it all changes again

 

[Boston Bees]

Added tyesterday while weather was nice hopefully they will draw them out a bit over these few nice days before it all changes again

Me too. Added 6 frames (1 drawn 2 foundation 3 foundationless) above their heads. Would rather not have had to with cold spell coming but they were packing white wax into the empty fondant tub so they clearly want space to build, lay etc And I didn't want to pull frames from the nest.