Visiting Bees

[Davew]

I have a poly nuc with 2 frames of old foundation which I have left in my garden over winter. I have noticed that over the last couple of days that about ten or so bees visit it and also go in and out during the day. However they do not stay but return the next day. Any ideas on what is happening?

 

[beebopalula]

I have a poly nuc with 2 frames of old foundation which I have left in my garden over winter. I have noticed that over the last couple of days that about ten or so bees visit it and also go in and out during the day. However they do not stay but return the next day. Any ideas on what is happening?

Scouts looking for a home for the swarm.

 

[oliver90owner]

But a nuc will generally only be big enough for a cast swarm, or a small prime. Chances are they will choose something about twice the volume.

 

[Davew]

Thanks for the reply. I have a spare 14 12 national. Would it be wise to put the combs in that in the same location

 

[oliver90owner]

A 14 x 12 is far larger than a nuc? Stands to reason that it would be better? You can make a box effectively smaller but difficult to pretend a nuc is any larger - unless you use a couple of nuc sized supers or two nucs, one on top of the other.

I often used a six frame 14 x12 nuc, and usually with a shallow box above (particularly for installing a reasonable sized swarm). Last one recently was a six frame 14 x 12 with 2 shallows above, as the swarm was quite a big one. Most certainly a deep 5 frame nuc would have been useless for that swarm.

Location is something I cannot comment on; 'in my garden' is not too specific.

 

[REDWOOD]

I usually get a lot of interest in my 7 frame 14x12 nuc (don't ask why it's 7 frames) in my garden until my wife shuts the door