Question about a Poly Nuc

[Luka22]

Hi,

I am just looking to buy a Poly Nuc for a small colony to have a better chance to overwinter. I found the Sale Offer for a Poly Nuc+ Jumbo Eke. I have never seen them and also found that they sell a "Spare Crownboard for Poly Nuc Hive". Reading about the Poly Nuc, they don't mention that it has got a Crownboard, but when it says "Spare Crownboard", does it mean the Nuc comes with a Crownboard or do I need to buy it seperate?

I read that its advisable to not use the internal feeder, instead I wanted to buy the Clear Box Feeder - Small 1.5 Litre from them.... Is that Feeder okay? I assume it will fit alright?

Sorry for the silly questions, but I wanted to send my order off tonight and don't want to mess up the order.

 

[Suzi Q]

Hi Luka22, a crownboard will come with the nuc. If you want a good nuc feeder, Parks or Th*rnes do a small orange round feeder.
Some don't have a problem with the internal feeder.

 

[Itchy]

never in my short 7 poly nuc experience have I had a problem with the feeder, with the exception of one swarm who insisted on building comb in it.

 

[Luka22]

Hi Suzi Q, thanks for your reply, I was close to order the Crownboard separate, so I am glad you told me that it comes with it. Why don't they tell on their website or show on the picture... mmh would have been a lot easier....

I know the little orange feeder from Th...., but to save on postage costs, I might stay with the little square one from Pa....

 

[itma]

When first introduced they didn't have a coversheet.
And the bees propolised the roof in place!
So they have a clear floppy plastic coversheet included now.
It would be hard to photograph!

If you are using National frames, the (Jumbo, 14x12) eke provides enough space for a feeder, or a slab of insulation.
Those 'standard' round plastic 4 pint 'rapid' feeders fit inside the eke. But doesn't leave enough height for insulation.
Insulation is good because (daftly) the roof is thinner (thus colder) than the walls, meaning condensation would form on the coversheet and drip onto the cluster. Not good. Fixed with insulation.
The standard coversheet has no feeder hole. Which is OK.
I've made my own coversheets from redundant estate-agent-board correx.

I've chopped up a Thorne cheapo galvanised mouseguard to keep Mickey and Minnie outside in Winter.

A map pin is ideal for ensuring that the entrance disc doesn't accidentally rotate.


Its a useful, cheap box. Not perfect, but decent value in the sales.

 

[Luka22]

Hi itma, thanks so much for your great explanation!!

I now have a good picture about what I will get and it does sound alright. I will just have to think about the missing feeder hole in the coversheet, maybe I can also find some redundant estate-agent-board, but if not, do you think its possible to cut a feeder hole in the coversheet they provide?

 

[itma]

... do you think its possible to cut a feeder hole in the coversheet they provide?

I'm sure it is. Its not Kevlar! But not having done it, I can't offer tips, me, I'd try sandwiching it between scrap ply offcuts and drilling. But a Stanley knife ought to do the job.

As supplied, the box has no frame rails. The frame lugs just sit on the ledges. So they do get propolised down.
But it means that you get a top beespace. So your coversheet doesn't automatically get stuck to the topbars.
I've glued plastic frame rails into 3 of mine. It makes frame removal MUCH easier, but you need to scrape off the coversheet (not hard to do) before replacing it. Its a situation familiar to anyone that has seen/used those galvanised-sheet queen excluders.
Your call on whether or not you might choose to fit rails.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Hi itma, thanks so much for your great explanation!!

I now have a good picture about what I will get and it does sound alright. I will just have to think about the missing feeder hole in the coversheet, maybe I can also find some redundant estate-agent-board, but if not, do you think its possible to cut a feeder hole in the coversheet they provide?

Use an electricians holesaw used carefully with a bit of scrap wood support behind it. Starret or similar make with a slowish drill and keep clearing the swarf.

 

[Luka22]

Thanks so much for all your tips and information. As mentioned, the Poly Nuc sounds good but not perfect. I hope the manufacturer reads these posts and changes the design to make it the 100% perfect box

I will send my order off now and hopefully we have some nice weather next week to move them quickly. I also read that I have to paint them first, so hopefully the delivery is fast to get that and the changes done in time.

Thank you guys so much for sharing your experience, this is very helpfull !!

 

[itma]

... I also read that I have to paint them first, so hopefully the delivery is fast to get that and the changes done in time.

I'd say that you don't HAVE to paint the outside, but they look nicer for longer if you do. Mine have different colours at the entrance so that the bees (and me too) can tell which one is which!

On the other hand I'd say that if you have any intention of using the feeder, then the inside of the feeder does need painting. Better to paint than to discover later that your example did need it. Two coats of water-based gloss, some sand while the second is still wet, then a final top coat should give you a textured (bee-grippy) surface that doesn't leak and is fairly easily cleaned.
But I choose to just block it off and stuff the slot with a long strip of foam rubber so bees can't get in there at all.

 

[Illo]

Hi itma, thanks so much for your great explanation!!

I now have a good picture about what I will get and it does sound alright. I will just have to think about the missing feeder hole in the coversheet, maybe I can also find some redundant estate-agent-board, but if not, do you think its possible to cut a feeder hole in the coversheet they provide?

I use the thin poly crown board in the summer, but as the weather has got a bit chilly I have replaced it with a bit of 4mm exterior ply with a feeder hole cut in it so It can easily take a round rapid feeder. It might help with the condensation that some report too.

I think it was JBM who advised drawing round the feeder when it's in the right place; makes it easier to locate quickly if you need to.

LJ

 

[Luka22]

I use the thin poly crown board in the summer, but as the weather has got a bit chilly I have replaced it with a bit of 4mm exterior ply with a feeder hole cut in it so It can easily take a round rapid feeder. It might help with the condensation that some report too.
LJ

That sounds like a good idea too. I will have a look into that, on my other hives (all wood) I have cut a hole into a celotex board to put fondant into it, which then sits on the crownboard. Maybe there is space for something similar, specially because people say that the roof is not very thick.

 

[Illo]

That sounds like a good idea too. I will have a look into that, on my other hives (all wood) I have cut a hole into a celotex board to put fondant into it, which then sits on the crownboard. Maybe there is space for something similar, specially because people say that the roof is not very thick.

There will be if you use an extra eke. You can fill any void space with insulation to keep cozy bees.

 

[Luka22]

Yes, I ordered them with the eke, just wanted to make sure that there will be enough space for an extra feeder and the fondant at a later time.

 

[itma]

...
I think it was JBM who advised drawing round the feeder when it's in the right place; makes it easier to locate quickly if you need to.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=367064#post367064

 

[Luka22]

Good post itma, thanks for linking it.