[sugar bandit #2]

I was wanting to build some 2-frame medium mating nucs and was wondering if anyone has tried these?
Was also wondering how I should set these up(How far from parent/donator colonies,& what spacing should the nucs be from each other?)

Thank you

 

[Michael Bush]

I did some three frame medium nucs with a frame feeder in them so they were 2 frame and a feeder. This year I think I'll build some for just 2 frames and seal up the bottom and use it for a feeder (the inside of the bottom of the nuc). They worked fine for mating nucs. I put about three cups of bees in each of them and closed them up for the night. I put in the queen cells and opened the hives up the next day. A lot of the bees drifted back to their hives, but enough stayed with the queen cells. I put them about a foot apart all in a row at the end of my other hives, but in the shade. The weather was hot at the time and I didn't want them overheating.

 

[sugar bandit #2]

Thanks for the info M.B.
I think the 3 frame (including a frame of sealed honey) method would work better for me. Your 2-frame w/feeder in the bottom also sounds interesting. I'm not understanding design though.
What are your thoughts on sugar cakes for feeding? A freind at our club uses this to "winter feed" and makes them using a tupperware mold w/ a 1/2" of sugar poured in, lighty (very lightly) applies water using a spray bottle and puts in the microwave for a minute or two. He uses 2" riser (from scrap hive bodies) placed on top of the brood box to allow space tor the sugar cakes. Could this method be applied (other than a winter feeding method like nucs etc.) technique for someone with only a few hives?
Finally, I was wanting to build some mating nucs w/ screened bottoms & shims on the bottom (to allow for air circulation) with a closeable 1" hole drilled in the front.Any thoughts / concerns on this design?
Thank you

[This message has been edited by sugar bandit #2 (edited March 26, 2004).]

 

[Michael Bush]

>I think the 3 frame (including a frame of sealed honey) method would work better for me.

That will probably work fine too.

>Your 2-frame w/feeder in the bottom also sounds interesting. I'm not understanding design though.

Just a solid bottom glued on and a hole up an inch or two from the bottom. I was going to seal the bottom with melted parafin or beeswax. Then just put honey or syrup in the bottom for feed. I haven't tried it. Someone else on here suggested it and I've see the styrofoam nucs on Betterbee and they say to do that also.

>What are your thoughts on sugar cakes for feeding? A freind at our club uses this to "winter feed" and makes them using a tupperware mold w/ a 1/2" of sugar poured in, lighty (very lightly) applies water using a spray bottle and puts in the microwave for a minute or two. He uses 2" riser (from scrap hive bodies) placed on top of the brood box to allow space tor the sugar cakes. Could this method be applied (other than a winter feeding method like nucs etc.) technique for someone with only a few hives?

I've heard of people using candy of various sorts to feed nucs. I'm sure it works fine. Of course they have to haul water to dissolve it, but it's still less work than making honey.

>Finally, I was wanting to build some mating nucs w/ screened bottoms & shims on the bottom (to allow for air circulation) with a closeable 1" hole drilled in the front.Any thoughts / concerns on this design?

A mating nuc has too few bees to keep it adequately warm on cold nights with any significant amount of ventilation. I wouldn't. put ventilation in. It's nice for a "shaken swarm box" where you're going to overcrowd the bees and there is no brood to keep warm. A closable entrance is handy, but I just end up using 1/8 hardware cloth scraps from when I build SBB and staple them on and pry them off.

 

[sugar bandit #2]

Thank you for the info!