This is a tale which hasn't got an ending ... just yet. However, I thought the present 'state of play' might be worth talking about.
I made up four more-or-less identical late nucs on the 30th of August (20 days ago). Because of the lateness in the season, I made 'em as strong as possible, each having two frames of capped brood as well as the brood comb having Q/Cells attached, and several good shakes of bees as well as the usual frames of honey and pollen.
Two of these nucs had 5 frames in a 6-frame standalone nuc box (to allow room for the attached Q/Cells - sixth frames have since been added), the other two nucs were 5-frame nuc boxes containing 5 frames placed over a Queenright Hive separated by a single mesh screen. (I didn't have a suitable double-screen mesh set-up at that time)
When checking on them recently, these pairs of nuc colonies are VERY different.
Although a question-mark remains over successful mating confirmation, both of the colonies in standalone nuc boxes are powering away: good numbers of bees, bags of frantic entrance activity with pollen coming in like it's on special offer. Needless to say - but I will - I'm reasonably confident that all is well with these nucs - although I have yet to see any eggs to finally confirm this.
In contrast, the two nucs over the Queenright hive both have reduced populations of bees, and there's near enough zero entrance activity - just the odd bee or two every ten minutes or so. Compared with those other two nucs, I'd say these are going nowhere.
I assume that many bees have absconded down into the Queenright box below, and I can't say I blame them at this point in the season - much better to choose a proven and thus safest option for the Winter.
I'll give the ailing nucs another week or so before 'pulling the plug' on them, but I'll be a lot more cautious how I make up late-in-the-season nucs in future.
'best,
LJ
I made up four more-or-less identical late nucs on the 30th of August (20 days ago). Because of the lateness in the season, I made 'em as strong as possible, each having two frames of capped brood as well as the brood comb having Q/Cells attached, and several good shakes of bees as well as the usual frames of honey and pollen.
Two of these nucs had 5 frames in a 6-frame standalone nuc box (to allow room for the attached Q/Cells - sixth frames have since been added), the other two nucs were 5-frame nuc boxes containing 5 frames placed over a Queenright Hive separated by a single mesh screen. (I didn't have a suitable double-screen mesh set-up at that time)
When checking on them recently, these pairs of nuc colonies are VERY different.
Although a question-mark remains over successful mating confirmation, both of the colonies in standalone nuc boxes are powering away: good numbers of bees, bags of frantic entrance activity with pollen coming in like it's on special offer. Needless to say - but I will - I'm reasonably confident that all is well with these nucs - although I have yet to see any eggs to finally confirm this.
In contrast, the two nucs over the Queenright hive both have reduced populations of bees, and there's near enough zero entrance activity - just the odd bee or two every ten minutes or so. Compared with those other two nucs, I'd say these are going nowhere.
I assume that many bees have absconded down into the Queenright box below, and I can't say I blame them at this point in the season - much better to choose a proven and thus safest option for the Winter.
I'll give the ailing nucs another week or so before 'pulling the plug' on them, but I'll be a lot more cautious how I make up late-in-the-season nucs in future.
'best,
LJ
