Swarm or nuc value

[meetballuk]

at what point does a swarm cease to be a swarm and become nuc of value?
a year?
a month?
when she starts laying?
BIAS?

yes i am aware of the feeling some ppl have on selling swarms, that has been debated excessively on this forum.

 

[pargyle]

at what point does a swarm cease to be a swarm and become nuc of value?
a year?
a month?
when she starts laying?
BIAS?

yes i am aware of the feeling some ppl have on selling swarms, that has been debated excessively on this forum.

Well ... my take would be that once it is in a Nucleus box, has been treated (if necessary) and there is a queen present, laying in a good pattern, BIAS and no brood disease and you have some idea of their temperament ... then it's a Nuc and I would certainly pay for it.

Time from swarm to the stage where it's a Nuc is largely irrelevant .. depends to some extent on the bees.

 

[beeno]

Hi meetballuk,
Unless it is a swarm from your own apiary, you have no way of telling how old HM is. That would be a good reason for not buying. Also, an overwintered nuc will have all the queen's offspring which is preferable for cohesion which a swarm nuc wouldn't unless it was a prime swarm. That would be another good reason for not buying. However, that does not mean that if someone is desperate you could not sell it at a lesser price, as long as they know what they are buying.

 

[drstitson]

As above.

Look at the BBKA guide to see what basic requirements a nuc should have but once you have decent amount of BIAS laid by the queen in situ....

BUT

a swarm has the potential to quickly become a full colony - it can certainly draw out a full box of comb in a short time. difference in momentum. could be deemed more valuable.

ALTHOUGH

on the other hand a nuc has known parentage. so a swarm establishing itself in a nuc box should really be called a swarm (unless you requeen).

 

[yellowrage 53]

Hi meetballuk,
Unless it is a swarm from your own apiary, you have no way of telling how old HM is. That would be a good reason for not buying. Also, an overwintered nuc will have all the queen's offspring which is preferable for cohesion which a swarm nuc wouldn't unless it was a prime swarm. That would be another good reason for not buying. However, that does not mean that if someone is desperate you could not sell it at a lesser price, as long as they know what they are buying.

hi beeno i have a m/t hive do i hang on for a swarm or buy a nuc ?

 

[Rollerbe]

at what point does a swarm cease to be a swarm and become nuc of value?
I agree with previous comment - if it's in a box, sign of brood its a nuc. No such thing as British Standard nucs anymore, just a guideline.
Your price is what someone will pay. 2 years ago, Glos bee auction, it I recall right there was a swarm about a week old in a nuc box. Sold for good money

 

[beeno]

hi beeno i have a m/t hive do i hang on for a swarm or buy a nuc ?

Hi yellowrage,
I have never been comfortable with paying loads of money for a bunch of insects that can easily be lost! Sorry, forum. I can't remember your history, but if you still have two hives, then you should have a spare to look after your own bees. I like the excitement of swarms and the price. The downside is that you may not get one, but your association should be able to give you some guidelines on that! However, if I were to buy a nuc I would go to a reputable seller and expect an overwintered one. Hope that helps.

 

[REDWOOD]

If you get a prime swarm from a prolific colony it can fill a national BB. A cast swarm can expand into a full colony ready for winter if looked after properly and get a bit of honey if you are lucky. Swams have got the urge to build up fast providing the queen is doing well and very rarely stay a nuc for long

 

[HM Honey]

As with everyone else, if its in a NUC, with all the behaviours of a NUC (BIAS etc), then its a NUC in my eyes. As long the person buying is made aware of the circumstances then its down to how much THEY want to pay for it.

All I would add is that if its a newbie buying, then I would advise them to get independant advice before paying me thier money. That way, they cant come back and accuse me of selling them duff bees.

 

[drstitson]

It depends what buyer wants to buy and what they are willing to pay.

If it's either a big or small box of bees that work then "NUC, NOS" or "FULL COLONY, NOS" would do.

An honest seller would still provide relevant information - e.g. month old swarm, overwintered nuc with 2013 queen from good stock etc.

BUT at the end of the day it all falls back to caveat emptor.

As Diogenes says in one of Cicero's exciting legal reports - why would a seller advertise his property for sale as "domum pestilentem vendo".

 

[sugarbush]

If you caught it and put it into a box and somebody wants to buy it; what difference does it make? The only thing at stake is your reputation. Just because one guy only sells over wintered nucs and the next throws a swarm into a box doesn't make one guy right and one guy wrong. A Nucleus is just supposed to be everything needed to start a hive, either situation meets that criterion.