New Nukes

[flopearedmule]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum, and new to beekeeping. I just bought 24 nucs and set them up Monday. Here is a picture of one of the frames in the middle. Don't know much about bees yet, but looks like this frame is full of brood.

The other picture is an extractor I am thinking about buying. The guy selling it thinks the brand name is Lifetime 8 frame. You can turn the frames around as the extractor is spinning. Has anyone ever seen anything like it? I will get a better picture this weekend.
Thanks
Denny

[julysun]

That looks like eight frames in a 10 frame box with a lot of burr comb in the 9, 10 , slots.

[Riverratbees]

julysun hit the nail on the head clean that burr out.

[psfred]

Brood pattern looks great though.

Clean up the burr comb and get two new frames in that empty space. It's better for the bees, and for the beekeeper.

Never seen an 8-frame nucleus hive before, they are usually 5 or 4 frames in a narrow box.

Peter

[Aerindel]

I just bought 24 nukes and set them up Monday

Don't let the ATF find out.



Sorry...couldn't resist.

[westernbeekeeper]

Ha ha ha ha!!!!

[Risky Beesness]

Wow! Starting off with 24 nucs? I increased to 12 this year and I am questioning my sanity. Hope your retired or have some help. Very nice looking brood.

[Andrew Dewey]

The extractor brand is one I've not heard of before and I can't see much in the picture. What's the extractor made of? Things to check include the soundness of where the cage is seated - the bearings - does the extractor turn easily? Is it hand cranked or power? I have no idea what all those cogs are for. Maybe someone else can steer you better on the extractor. do some searching on the net and see if you can learn when it was manufactured and what has happened to the manufacturer. Are parts available if you need them?

24 nucs is a bunch to start with - Maybe a South Dakota beekeeper or someone will local knowledge can give an estimate of how much honey you should expect to get from nucs the first year. You may not even need an extractor.

[sqkcrk]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum, and new to beekeeping.

Okay, since you are new to beekeeping, please let me tell you about "nukes" and "nucs". The beekeeping term "nuc" is beekeeping shorthand for nucleus colony. Whereas "nuke" is a popular term for atomic bombs.

Welcome to beekeeping. Nice pics. Nice looking brood.

[JD's Bees]

Before you clean the burr comb out of the frame feeder make sure to locate the queen in the hive as she will sometimes go into the feeder to lay.

[flopearedmule]

Thanks for clearing that up sqkcrk....I was so excited that I finally figured out how to post pictures that I didn't even think about the spelling. I tried to edit it, but I can't edit the subject line.

Okay, since you are new to beekeeping, please let me tell you about "nukes" and "nucs". The beekeeping term "nuc" is beekeeping shorthand for nucleus colony. Whereas "nuke" is a popular term for atomic bombs.

Welcome to beekeeping. Nice pics. Nice looking brood.

[sqkcrk]

That's okay flopeared. I hope I came across more educational than corrective.

[flopearedmule]

OK, the beekeeper that I bought these NUCS from said to leave the burr comb in the feeder so the bees don't drown when they are feeding?? This beekeeper runs over 2,200 hives and all of them only have 8 frames and a feeder in them?? I would love to hear every ones opinion on adding one more frame. I can only fit one more frame with the feeder still in the box.

Brood pattern looks great though.

Clean up the burr comb and get two new frames in that empty space. It's better for the bees, and for the beekeeper.

Never seen an 8-frame nucleus hive before, they are usually 5 or 4 frames in a narrow box.

Peter

[DLMKA]

nice brood pattern there. I started this year with 2 hives, caught 2 swarms, and am taking two hives off a guy that found out the hard way he's allergic. I think I'm in over my head already. I couldn't imagine managing 24 with everything else I have going on with gardening, work, kids, etc.

[sqkcrk]

OK, the beekeeper that I bought these NUCS from said to leave the burr comb in the feeder so the bees don't drown when they are feeding?? This beekeeper runs over 2,200 hives and all of them only have 8 frames and a feeder in them?? I would love to hear every ones opinion on adding one more frame. I can only fit one more frame with the feeder still in the box.

Fred must have not noticed what I didn't notice my first look. That burrcomb is in a feeder. I'd leave it alone too, as your supplier recommended. And I wouldn't try to squeeze another frame in there either. I'm going to 8 frames and a feeder too.

[flopearedmule]

Andrew,
The cogs are gears. When the extractor is spinning and flinging honey out of one side of the frame, you can turn the frames around while it is still spinning and let the honey out the other side of the frame. You don't have to stop the machine and turn the frames manually. It turns them automatic.

The extractor brand is one I've not heard of before and I can't see much in the picture. What's the extractor made of? Things to check include the soundness of where the cage is seated - the bearings - does the extractor turn easily? Is it hand cranked or power? I have no idea what all those cogs are for. Maybe someone else can steer you better on the extractor. do some searching on the net and see if you can learn when it was manufactured and what has happened to the manufacturer. Are parts available if you need them?

24 nucs is a bunch to start with - Maybe a South Dakota beekeeper or someone will local knowledge can give an estimate of how much honey you should expect to get from nucs the first year. You may not even need an extractor.

[psfred]

Thought something looked odd there!

If you are feeding, leave it there, but put your next hive body underneath. If you are not feeding, and the bees don't look like they need feeding, I'd replace it with frames instead of leaving it in the hive to fill up with trash over the summer. If you want to leave the space for putting it back in later, make a box with masonite or something to take up the space while maintaining bee space. At least cover it, otherwise you will be cleaning out 24 frame feeders come fall.

Those hives will double or triple in population when that brood emerges, make sure you have enough room on each hive when they do!

Peter

[KQ6AR]

If the other frames are even close to as good as the one you're holding up, its the best nuc I've ever seen.
You could have been charged 8 frame single hive price for that.