Is It Too Late?

[Bob D]

I'm asking a question for a friend....

Someone in Central Maine is starting beekeeping. He ordered a Nuc for $150. Here it is June 7th and he hasn't got it yet. Now he's being told the nucs not only came in, but came in 2 weeks ago. Rather than getting a nuc box, the person told my friend to bring one of his deeps and he'll put 5 frames into his hive with a queen. (I'm under the impression the nucs have already been installed in hives of the person my friend ordered nucs from)

My questions....

For $150 shouldn't you get betting a "real nuc" that is over wintered and in a nuc box of some kind?

Is not being told the bees came in until they've been in and installed in someone else's hives for 2 weeks kinda strange?

Is starting a hive in central Maine in June too late to have them build up strong enough to survive a Maine winter?

Thanks!

[Ravenseye]

I'll just stick with the last question since it speaks to the title of the thread. I don't know where in central Maine the colony will be but I wouldn't hesitate to get them going right now. While you can't predict the weather and hence, the availability of food, the colony will have to be watched as the year progresses. Making sure the queen is in good shape as we near fall is pretty critical. With ample stores, young bee's and reasonable protection from inclement weather the hive should be fine. I'd give it a try.

[beedeetee]

For $150 I would want the nuc box. If your flow is just starting, like ours, a nuc right now is fine to start. Depending on the flow, weather, etc. you might need to feed in the fall, but I wouldn't hesitate to get a nuc if your honey flow is not over.

[indypartridge]

For $150 shouldn't you get betting a "real nuc" that is over wintered and in a nuc box of some kind?

If it's a locally produced nuc, (or anywhere within New England), I wouldn't expect it have been overwintered, although that could be the case. I'd expect that the nuc was made from early spring splits. As for the box, I know some producers who give you a nuc in those cardboard nuc boxes, and some who have you bring a deep.

Is not being told the bees came in until they've been in and installed in someone else's hives for 2 weeks kinda strange?

Since you don't know for sure, I won't speculate. As I said above, not unusual for nuc producer to keep their nuc boxes and re-use them year after year.

Is starting a hive in central Maine in June too late to have them build up strong enough to survive a Maine winter?

I wouldn't think so.

[Oldbee]

Was there a third person [or beekeeper] involved with this? Was there another beekeeper that actually prepared the nucs with frames of bees, brood, pollen, honey and a queen? These nucs were then delivered to a distributor? [The person your friend ordered them from?]

"For $150 shouldn't you get betting a "real nuc" that is over wintered and in a nuc box of some kind?"

The nucs can [usually are] be made up from overwintered hives; not necessarily from nucs themselves that have been overwintered.

"Is not being told the bees came in until they've been in and installed in someone else's hives for 2 weeks kinda strange?"

The nucs may have had a low population and the two weeks was necessary for the capped brood to emerge, more eggs laid and the general population to increase before they could be sold for $150.00.

Just thoughts,..

[fish_stix]

If you buy nucs from me there are 2 options. (1) bring a box and I transfer the bees into your equipment while you stand and watch, or participate; (2) buy the bees in a Jester nuc box, which you'll pay additional for. I don't sell my wood nucs. My definition of a nuc is a fully operational hive that's just temporarily in a smaller box than my production hives. And I expect folks who buy them to take a look and approve them before buying. Don't know about the rest of you but I don't buy anything unless I can fondle it first, especially bees.

[ralittlefield]

I bought a couple of four frame nucs this year and the nuc box was not included in the price. I placed a $25. deposit on each box that was refunded when I returned them. I installed my own bees, and only got four frames, so my price was less than the deal your friend has agrees to.

Is it possible that your friend could have had his bees a couple of weeks ago if he had been in communication with his supplier?

[stripstrike]

I installed nucs late last July in northen MA. I fed them like crazy to get comb drawn and stores put away but they both made it through winter. They're being split a second time this weekend. Get em if you can.