[Stienthor]

I am stepping into beekeeping this May with two purchased 5 frame Nuc's will be placing them into 10 frame deep Brood box's. The question I am unable to find the answer to is how to set up the brood box initially, as the remaining 5 frames will be with out foundation. do I just stack them on the outer sides of the nuc frames or do i place them differently and let bee's take over from there.
Hopeing my question makes sense.

 

[crofter]

I would put a filler in one side of the 10 frame box to reduce the volume then place one foundationless frame with starter strip between nuc frames 4 and 5. A frame feeder would be a good filler. If there is lots of open cells for the queen to lay on that would give them room for a short time. If they were bursting with bees you might put another foundationless frame between 1 and 2.

In other words dont give them multiple bare frames in one bunch or they may cross comb badly. Also dont give them more space than they can heat/cool and police for robbing, shb and wax moths.

You should list your location so people can give you climate appropriate advice. My opinions based on northern environments. Be prepared to do mite counts and treatments; hopefully not needed but dont depend on wishful thinking. I nearly got caught on this with my first nucs.

 

[Stienthor]

I am located in south central Manitoba basically right on the border with north Dakota.
As for mite counts and such I have already planned on doing a wash and to have apavar on hand. I honestly am not expecting to much of an issue as my source for nucs is from a very reputable local Beekeeper who by all information I have been able to glean is on top of such things in his own operation. But seeing how I am determined not to have to purchase more bee's down the road, I am not gonna take any chances. The way I figure it. If I am right and the counts will be at a good level I will know exactly where they are from the get go and have a base line for future monitoring.
Concerning the filler board though as the bee's fill out the frames should I just add a frame at a time after the above suggestions until the brood box is filled?

 

[JWPalmer]

Yes, you will want to place a fresh foundationless frame in between two well drawn and straight brood frames. During the flow, you should be able to get a brood frame or two drawn out every week. Keep the frames with honey or sugar syrup to the outside and add a frame to the middle of the broodnest.

 

[crofter]

I am located in south central Manitoba basically right on the border with north Dakota.
As for mite counts and such I have already planned on doing a wash and to have apavar on hand. I honestly am not expecting to much of an issue as my source for nucs is from a very reputable local Beekeeper who by all information I have been able to glean is on top of such things in his own operation. But seeing how I am determined not to have to purchase more bee's down the road, I am not gonna take any chances. The way I figure it. If I am right and the counts will be at a good level I will know exactly where they are from the get go and have a base line for future monitoring.
Concerning the filler board though as the bee's fill out the frames should I just add a frame at a time after the above suggestions until the brood box is filled?

That sounds like an excellent pro active philosophy! Apivar should not be used if it is going to overlap with honey production so that may not be a factor for your young colony.If you need to knock down the mites before the flow the various apps of Formic acid are good. Think about getting one of Biermann's band heater Oxalic acid vaporizers. He is in Alberta. That is my main mite control; lot cheaper than any of the patent treatments.

 

[Michael Bush]

First, make sure you have some sort of comb guide on foundationless frames. I would put the drawn combs in the middle with the empty frames out side until it is warm enough and the colony strong enough that a gap in the middle is quickly filled with festooning bees and your nights are not frosty anymore. Then I would put an empty in the middle of the brood nest. Between two good drawn combs it will be drawn perfectly.

Foundationless frames, Beekeeping, Michael Bush

Foundationless frames, Beekeeping, Michael Bush. How to keep bees more naturally with foundationless frames and natural comb. Frequently asked questions about foundationless frames.

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