[dlawr42103]

Hello all...

I have a 5 frame Nuc with a home raised queen, she is looking very good and just started laying in abundance. The Nuc is full of bees and I would like to move them somewhere larger.

One of my colonies is strong and large, but has an ageing queen, her laying is definitely slowing down and I would like to replace her with my new Nuc queen.

What would be the best way of combining the Nuc with the colony, keeping only the new queen?

 

[SDiver40]

There is other hardware better suited for combining a nuc to full deep. But I cut a 6x8 hole in an inner cover and set the nuc on top of it. Using news paper between the two. If you have a 2nd deep, transfer nuc into new deep and do a newspaper combine

 

[Saltybee]

If you mean safest by best, rather than most practical;

Shake off brood frames in front of large hive and place back above excluder on large hive. Wait until brood frames are again covered with nurse bees and a move a few to full hive where you have previously installed nuc. Move frames or boxes as fast as you are comfortable, it is not a race.

When the large hive is down to a single with proper age larva, kill the old queen and let them raise a new queen.

 

[RayMarler]

I would pull the queen you want replaced with five frames into a different full box, replacing those frames with foundation frames in the center of the top box. Wait 2 - 4 hours, then remove the frames of foundation and replace them with your queen right nuc frames. The old queen can be fed until she fills the box she's in for over winter, to keep her as a backup.

 

[dlawr42103]

Great advice... I will give this a try... thank you all.

 

[Ian]

find the old queen and kill her, take out 5 frames from the single and shake them infront of the hive. Spray down the hive with HoneyBHealthy mix, insert the Nuc