What should a nucleus contain when bought?

[Waxing]

Apart from some frames with foundation what 'livestock' should one expect to get when buying a nuke, please?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

The BBKA do a leaflet on their website entitled Standard Nucleus Guidance Notes which seems pretty comprehensive

 

[oliver90owner]

I would definitely not be wanting frames with foundation!

RAB

 

[RoseCottage]

I would expect a queen, three or four frames of brood in various states and a suitable covering of nurse bees and some foragers. Also some stores and an indication as to their treatment for Varroa etc.

Sam

 

[Vergilius]

what 'livestock' should one expect to get when buying a nuke, please?

Very explosive ones.

Ben P

 

[tberni]

When I do nucs I always prepare them for a beginner. I have 3 frames of brood, 1 frame of stores and 1 frame of foundation. Because I include a good quality wooden nuc box I am assuming that the beginner may not necessarily have an empty hive waiting to simply transfer the nuc frames into the hive. Because of this I include a frame of foundation to which makes sure that the bees have sufficient space.

I have known some beginners to buy a nuc with 3 frames of brood and 2 frames with stores, they keep them in the nuc box for a couple of weeks and the bees start building queen cells. And no, this is not a commercial as I have no nucs available for 2011.

 

[Gardenbees]

A young, healthy, laying queen, preferably marked and reasonably settled in (ie. not just slung into the nuc box and bunged off in the post the minute she laid her first egg);

At least three frames with brood on well over half the frame;

At least two frames with stores (honey/nectar and pollen) on well over half the frame. Expect more liquid stores than actual pollen;

At least four of the frames totally covered with bees;

A heavy feel to the nuc;

A reasonably clean look to the frames - bits of propolis are fine, but not blackened comb or darkened, mouldy-looking frames;

A clean look to the box, whatever it's made of: no mould, grungy layer of dead mites, old cocoons, buildup of mouldy old damp pollen bits etc.;

Calm, healthy, preoccupied-looking bees that don't divebomb you or rise up furiously when you open the lid, or crawl about aimlessly around the entrance. No mangled-looking wings or runny droppings all over the box. No hangers-on (obvious mites on the bees or wax moth cocoons in a nuc would both put me off).

I would also prefer locally-sourced bees which have had a chance to grow up with the nuc rather than a recently-mixed package, and a locally-bred queen. Unfortunately that's not always easy to find.

 

[Gardenbees]

When I do nucs I always prepare them for a beginner. I have 3 frames of brood, 1 frame of stores and 1 frame of foundation. Because I include a good quality wooden nuc box I am assuming that the beginner may not necessarily have an empty hive waiting to simply transfer the nuc frames into the hive. Because of this I include a frame of foundation to which makes sure that the bees have sufficient space.

I have known some beginners to buy a nuc with 3 frames of brood and 2 frames with stores, they keep them in the nuc box for a couple of weeks and the bees start building queen cells. And no, this is not a commercial as I have no nucs available for 2011.

Good point. My assumption was that a bought nuc would be intended for starting a hive fairly soon after purchase. An empty frame would be good if the nuc was destined to stay in its box for quite a while.

 

[Midland Beek]

The BBKA do an info sheet, and there is/was in fact a BS Standard for a nuc.

 

[Nellie]

Apart from some frames with foundation what 'livestock' should one expect to get when buying a nuke, please?

Only thing I'd add to what's already been suggested is an invitation to inspect the nuc before you hand over any cash.