when is the best time to buy a Nuc

[mark1]

I was wondering when the best time of year to aquire my first Nuc to ensure that they get off to the best possible start.
cheers

 

[VEG]

April/may as they will then hopefully be starting to build up nicely after the winter.
Quite a few will be for sale on this forum around that time so keep an eye out.

 

[itma]

I was going to say, "Be quick, in the sales".

But I see you are after a Nuc colony, rather than a Nuc hive.



Bee colonies are potentially at their most expensive at the start of the season (when there is a crop in prospect), and cheapest just before winter (due to the cost and risks of overwintering).

 

[Chris B]

I would add that the optimum time for a new beekeeper to get a nuc is late May. Any earlier runs greater risk of a large colony that might swarm on you, throwing you right into beekeeping at the deep end. Any later and there's little chance of honey in your first season.

If you do get a later nuc, no problem, but be aware it rapidly becomes a buyer's market later in the season and you should therefore have the opportunity to get something cheaper.

 

[oliver90owner]

It may depend on what they call a nuc.

An over-wintered nuc is far the best, IMO, although clearly with a last year queen which may or may not have been mated well if a home produced nuc (lousy year for any queen matings!). They would be supplied a little before needing rehousing, and any time is suitable really provided the recipient knows how to re-home them for optimum results.

If it is a 'thrown together' nuc it is altogether a different story and a period of good weather and available forage is the best; mid April, if in an Oil Seed Rape area, is usually good (was lousy last year!).

When you say 'start', that might indicate the latter type of nuc as any nuc should already be 'started' - it's just a small developing colony (or shoud be).

RAB

 

[Moggs]

Further to RAB's post:

http://tinyurl.com/b8pust8

Provides useful advice, courtesy of the Bee Unit at DEFRA.

 

[drex]

Never. They cost too much. Join your local association, and if lucky you will be given one.

 

[Mellifera397]

I agree with drex, I got my first nuc from a swarm that one of our members didnt have space for.

It was much later in the season than is ideal though.

 

[ultreen1]

I would recommend an overwintered nuc, I started with one last year in mid April!
They didn't swarm or make any attempts to swarm!
I had 80lb of honey from them, a nice bonus!
If I didn't have 3 colonies now I would deffo buy another overwintered...and from the same supplier!
Darren

 

[itma]

I agree with drex, I got my first nuc from a swarm that one of our members didnt have space for.

A swarm should cost either nothing or not a lot (reimbursement for mileage driven).
The downside is that your swarm could be absolutely any kind of bees. Productive or ravenous, fierce or tame, healthy or just barely hanging on. But (based on their history) they will very likely be keen to swarm in future.
A bought nuc should be a known quantity and healthy. And could (should?) start to pay for itself in the first year.
But if you want to learn about bees, learning about your swarm and what it is that you have got, is an excellent "learning experience". And if they should turn out to be the spawn of satan, you can requeen if you need to.
And the worry of doing a mischief to the queen is MUCH LESS with a swarm than with expensively bought stock.

 

[REDWOOD]

Agree with Veg, last week in April or first week in may

 

[For want of a better word]

Presumption is that you have at least handled bees, all the courses and all the books can not prepare the novice beekeeper for the "hands on experience" !!!

Best time is when one becomes available from your local association, most have an established breeder of local bees and will happily mentor you through those heart wrenching moments we all get in the art of beekeeping...... or a split from a colony with a laying queen of known provenance, may be as good.


BBKA advice is not to buy imported bees

Take a time served beekeeping friend with you if travelling to buy a nuc, then possibly the right questions will be asked, and don't be afraid to walk away from anything that looks iffy... difficult to do I know,...... but who would shell out £240 for a box of shaken bees and a caged queen, fresh from Bukgaria?
Overwintered bees are a good bet, I have yet to get the 120 lbs of honey from any type of bee from a nacent colony in the first year... or the second for that!

All in my own very limited experience I have to add !

 

[whoosling]

I bought mine last year from a guy that was doing my local bee keeping course, I thought that way I'd keep in touch and know it was a reliable source. Ordered march, recieved end of May