poly nucs

[nemphlar]

assuming I have bees to breed from this year, I've built some 25mm 3 frame nucs for queen breeding. Going through some old posts some have tried to banK winter queens in various types of small poly apideas with some success, no one has mentioned losses due to dampness or mould problems. I've built them with a solid floor, but ventilation looks poor.

 

[Poly Hive]

What type of material have you used to build them from?

PH

 

[region2]

Top Tip - don't put your lit smoker on the lid of your Poly hive/nuc or guess what happens?!!??!

R2 (ps. it wasn't me!)

 

[RoofTops]

Most if not all poly mini-nucs I am aware of have some sort of mesh floor - if only to allow the bees to be introduced and for spraying water in to cool them when they are first confined.

Poly nucs for full sized frames do not all have mesh floors. One of the first, the so-called Canadian nuc, was a bit like a poly shoe box. However, I felt they could over heat in the sun if the entrance was too small - a hole about 25mm in diameter is the minimum I think.

Dampness was not a problem with these, even though they did not have any ventilation apart from the entrance.

But, if you have made these yourself out of straight poly insulation sheet it is likely the bees will chew it to bits as it won't be dense enough.

 

[nemphlar]

They were made from 25mm packing and painted inside and out with masonry paint. I made a full size brood last year with 50mm thick same style, it seems to have survived the paint seems to put them off chewing it up, though I don't suppose they will last

 

[Poly Hive]

If you get a season out of them you will be fortunate.

Might be an idea to line the inside with something like fablon. That might well extend the life.

PH

 

[nemphlar]

I'll try that thanks, @at 50p for 4 and some handicraft therapy they haven't cost much

 

[RoofTops]

It will be around the entrance they will chew it, especially if you have to shut them in at some point. The other place they may attack is under the roof if they see a crack, for example a bit of propolis or a crushed bee lifting the roof a tad. They won't in my experience, attack a flat surface - they will start at an edge and masonry paint will not prevent them chewing.

Some of my Canadian nucs were chewed around the entrance so I fitted bits of 30mm diameter PVC pipe to line them. Alternatively, you could try something like aluminium foil evo-stucked on to protect vulnerable regions.

 

[nemphlar]

Thanks for the help. I'll try the PVC pipe

 

[nemphlar]

Used the fablon and some 22mm copper pipe for the entrance so far so good and no apparent sweating thanks again for advice

 

[Hivemaker.]

Going through some old posts some have tried to banK winter queens in various types of small poly apideas with some success, no one has mentioned losses due to dampness or mould problems.

Yes they over winter very well,no damp or mould problems at all.

 

[beebreeder]

And when they are full to overflowing you can move them into a six frame nuc box, then a full hive and some honey if you are lucky