Whats the best Mini Nuc?

[Tom Bick]

That’s a great photo Pete, the hives look fantastic.

I was just thinking that if they were made from a manmade material just how wrong they would look in that environment.

 

[RoofTops]

And the roofs?

 

[oliver90owner]

And I thought they were all ready for the 31st October!

 

[Poly Hive]

What quantity of bees do you use to start them off with?

They look considerably bigger than what I would call a mini nuc which to my thinking are Keilers and Apideas. This is where it gets complicated when discussing over wintering as those are not comparable to "proper" minis.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

What quantity of bees do you use to start them off with?

Same quantity as a Kieler,maybe a few more but not a lot,they hold three half length, hoffman spaced, national super frames, running cold way to the entrance,and a large feed compartment which can hold fondant, or just under a litre and a half of syrup.
All the roofs also have one inch(25mm) of insulation in.

They have a slide which fits in a groove on the bottom (front) to close the entrance when being filled, and for a few days after,the lower slot also acts to prevent water entering,when positioned the slide is placed in the upper slot, closing off the ventilation and allowing the bees to fly. Normal national supers with a central rail are also used to place 22 or 24 frames of bees and brood in for combining or making up new stocks for overwintering at the end of the season, and to keep back up combs if needed during the active season.

A kieler would have a bigger brood area, when six frames are used.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Great photo HM. 153 in case you are wondering.

 

[Poly Hive]

153!

Now that is sad.

I know it is raining but....

PH

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Had a bet with myself (I lost)

 

[Queens59]

We counted them too - and I lost by 6!!

 

[drstitson]

I ddin't count. But i was working out how many I could fit in the Smart!!!!

and i've saved the pic in case i need to "justify" my small stack!

 

[beebreeder]

I take my hat of to HM as not only does he make the boxes, he also makes the frames to go in them from scratch. I have spent a large part of today cutting and altering SN4 frames to fit in thes small hives, mind you I have been working with two hundred top bars, the sides stay the same and bottomrails just cut to lengh, then its a jig for cutting the foundation, should be worth it no attaching to the sides and cleaner to work.

 

[wightbees]

I have also been making side bars this weekend.Although not as many as some but for £5.00 and my 3 hrs of time i made about 230 side bars.
Just the top and bottom to go lol

 

[beebreeder]

The supers that have been divided in half for the small frames are now on hives doing the job, a few pics of the bees at work, super went on Sunday PM, just checked today when topping the feeder up.

 

[Hivemaker.]

The myth is busted,i also have several super boxes of 24 frames drawn out,few more to add to colonys as well. Set up 3 double brood cell raising colonys today,ready for grafting next week.

 

[DanBee]

Set up 3 double brood cell raising colonys today,ready for grafting next week.

Cor - you're keen And there was me thinking next week for mine would be an early start

 

[beebreeder]

The myth is busted,i also have several super boxes of 24 frames drawn out,few more to add to colonys as well. Set up 3 double brood cell raising colonys today,ready for grafting next week.

Just a feed of weak s/syrup above the small frames, I was going to set up cell raisers this PM but had to come home to deal with a collection!!!!!LOL I have half of my boxes on with small frames but need to find a sensible priced supplier for 200 sn4 side bars to complete the last boxes, any ideas, seconds more than good enough.

 

[mbc]

Just a feed of weak s/syrup above the small frames, I was going to set up cell raisers this PM but had to come home to deal with a collection!!!!!LOL I have half of my boxes on with small frames but need to find a sensible priced supplier for 200 sn4 side bars to complete the last boxes, any ideas, seconds more than good enough.

I'm jealous, its still a bit early with not enough drones for reliable mating round my way, only now is there an appreciable amount of drone brood being layed up and much of that may have been knackered by a few cold, windy days followed by frosts at night.
I use stamfordham for orders of odd bits of frames.

 

[Poly Hive]

No drone brood here yet that I know of, let alone enough bees to even think of grafting. *sighs*

Best mini? The one that you feel comfortable with and that works for you.

PH

 

[beebreeder]

No drone brood here yet that I know of, let alone enough bees to even think of grafting. *sighs*

Best mini? The one that you feel comfortable with and that works for you.

PH

PH
I am a bit ahead as I leave drawn drone frames in choosen colonies over winter, first inspection that frame is moved to the edge of the brood nest, forcing the queen to lay it up, hence early drones. Its only just warm enough for grafting and not expecting the best from first round but it does give me a benchmark to work from and the rape is coming out!

 

[drstitson]

"Set up 3 double brood cell raising colonys today,ready for grafting next week."

Pete - how many cells do you expect/require your double raiser colonies to support at a time? 24 each?

DOI: Have just set up my first cell starter/raiser colony. It's a strong single dadant/jumbo LS so hopefully should be good for a first attempt at 12 cells.

Only starting this early as i have just re-queened a DLQ hive with a nice queen who has started to lay again after introduction so have plenty of eggs/young brood easily identifiable on frames without older unsealed brood.