Transfering a colony

[Olivia9801]

In June I managed to obtain a small swarm in one of my traps. I think it was a cast as its much smaller than my other colony. Nevertheless, they seem to be doing fine with the queen laying well and they have increased in number.

Due to other commitments I have been unable until now to make a new National for them so they have been in the nuc since I got them.

I would like to transfer them to the new national which I will complete next week. At the moment, they are in a 7 frame nuc.

Would it be a crazy thing to transfer them to a national at this time of year? Obviously I will be a few frames short so will have to put some empty waxed brood frames in there to fill the national and to help with keeping them warm in the winter.

This is my plan, again, any advice would be appreciated.

Regards

 

[Erichalfbee]

If there is room in that nuc I would leave them there.
Is the nuc a poly?

 

[Olivia9801]

The nuc is made from just 5 mm ply, which is part of the reason why I wanted to transfer them to a national as when the cold weather arrives, they will be better insulated.

Furthermore, in the nuc, the frames are aligned in the "cold" format -in line with the entrance as opposed to what I do prefer - the "warm" setup.

Olivia9801

 

[Swarm]

The nuc is made from just 5 mm ply, which is part of the reason why I wanted to transfer them to a national as when the cold weather arrives, they will be better insulated.

Furthermore, in the nuc, the frames are aligned in the "cold" format -in line with the entrance as opposed to what I do prefer - the "warm" setup.

Olivia9801

I'd advise against changing comb orientation at this time in the season, they'll have to rearrange everything. Do that next year.
When transferring, fill the empty space with some insulation rather than foundation.

 

[deanrpwaacs]

Why not put them in a poly nuc now for the winter . You can transfer in the spring and the nuc will then be handy for swarm control or spliting ect

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If there is room in that nuc I would leave them there.

no problem with overwintering in a ply nuc anyway

I'd advise against changing comb orientation at this time in the season, they'll have to rearrange everything. Do that next year.
When transferring, fill the empty space with some insulation rather than foundation.

 

[Finman]

.
You may glue polystyrene board pieces around the box. Do it with PU glue.

If you do now transferring, it disturbs winter bee rearing.

 

[Amari]

In June I managed to obtain a small swarm in one of my traps. I think it was a cast as its much smaller than my other colony. Nevertheless, they seem to be doing fine with the queen laying well and they have increased in number.
Due to other commitments I have been unable until now to make a new National for them so they have been in the nuc since I got them.
I would like to transfer them to the new national which I will complete next week. At the moment, they are in a 7 frame nuc.
Would it be a crazy thing to transfer them to a national at this time of year? Obviously I will be a few frames short so will have to put some empty waxed brood frames in there to fill the national and to help with keeping them warm in the winter.
This is my plan, again, any advice would be appreciated.
Regards

The problem with nucs is the limited space for winter stores = risk of starvation. If the colony has built up well e.g. 5 frames of brood I would transfer to a brood box but only if you have some drawn comb brood frames into which the bee scan store syrup. It's unlikely that bees will draw foundation at this time of year.

 

[oliver90owner]

I had a colony in a 6mm ply 'Dartington carry box' (it did have 18mm ends). 14 x 12 of course, but they were OK. First put in just before my bypass op and then could do nothing about it.

I then left them in there with a 'Dartington half super' just to see how they coped in the following seasons. They were still going until that 'bar steward' stole the colony.

They were on a sort of brood and a half after that first winter, but without any further extras left on over winter. No extra insulation around, but with a well insulated roof over a 18mm ply crown board. Would likely have still been going OK, but for that thieving bar steward.

 

[Cussword]

Sorry to hijack.

I was planning on doing the same. Very healthy swarm in poly nuc, I intended to moved them into a poly hive. They will be warm way, should I put the six frames at the front, back, or middle? The other frames will all be drawn.

.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Brood at the front stores at the back for winter

 

[Cussword]

Thanks Erica

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sorry to hijack.

I was planning on doing the same. Very healthy swarm in poly nuc, I intended to moved them into a poly hive. They will be warm way, should I put the six frames at the front, back, or middle? The other frames will all be drawn.

.

You're intending on moving them from a nuc (cold way) to a full Brood box on warm way - I'd keep them cold way and switch them to warm in the spring - put all the nuc frames in the middle of the rest then feed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

You best do what JBM says. He knows better than me

 

[Hivemaker.]

Brood at the front stores at the back for winter

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You best do what JBM says. He knows better than me

That's how they will have configured it in a cold way hive (stores to the rear, brood towards the entrance) - you will notice at this time of year especially that the frame in the cold way hive will look lop sided - with stores from top to bottom on the side furthest from the entrance and the brood right over the other side. Keeping the same configuration when you hive them will mean they won't have to unneccesarily shift stores around. Of course, if the frames are chockabloc with brood it won't really matter

 

[Erichalfbee]

That's how they will have configured it in a cold way hive (stores to the rear, brood towards the entrance)

Doh......of course, I knew that but the fact that a nuc box will run cold way seemed to escaped me............

 

[Cussword]

Thanks again guys.

 

[Cussword]

That's how they will have configured it in a cold way hive (stores to the rear, brood towards the entrance) - you will notice at this time of year especially that the frame in the cold way hive will look lop sided - with stores from top to bottom on the side furthest from the entrance and the brood right over the other side. Keeping the same configuration when you hive them will mean they won't have to unneccesarily shift stores around. Of course, if the frames are chockabloc with brood it won't really matter

Is cold way and warm way still an issue with an underfloor entrance?

.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is cold way and warm way still an issue with an underfloor entrance?

.

No, never was anyway it's just a figure of speech. Just configure the hives whichever way suits you best. In the middle of the season it's no big deal to change it, just turn the brood box through 90 degrees, but this time of year, as they have started rearranging the hive ready for winter I'd keep the configuration the same until spring.