[jncapiary]

Hi all,

It's official !
I finally have my first 2 NUCS !
I was told not to transfer them for a few days to my 10 frame deeps.
I dont get why not and that makes me wonder.
The lids are screwed down using T25 screws which I have
I wanted to feed them sugar water but I'll wait.
I have been sneezing my head off the past few days so I'm sure they have plenty of pollen available and I have a birdbath the found for a water source already.

Should I open the lids and take a peak on the population with disturbing the frame for a few more days?

Does that make sense to anyone?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Alex Madsen]

Yes, you can take a peak (suit up if it is your first time, you don't know what their temperament will be). It is a good habit for a new beek to inspect regularly to learn what normal hive development looks like. Put the NUCs on top of the new 10 frame hive so they orientate to the correct location. It is easier for the bees to control the temperature in a small enclosure.

 

[ruthiesbees]

I like to let my nuc sit on top of the real hive for an hour or 3 when I first get it, just so they can settle down from being in the car. The entrance is open for foragers to come/go if it is above 50 F, otherwise I leave it closed. Then I will transfer them right before dusk. I don't see any reason to leave them in a nuc for a couple of days. Some nucs we get are overflowing and need to be moved immediately.

 

[jncapiary]

You may be right about the temps.
Maybe it was the cool nights that he was worried about. It dropped to 41 degrees last night I think.
It is supposed to stay over 50 degrees at night from now on.

 

[trottet1]

Sounds like you are ready for your first be inspection today. I agree with ruthiesbees. Put the nucs on top of their new 10 frame equiptment. Then you and the bees chill out for a bit. Go over your game plan in your head. My advice for adding new frames;

Go out this evening and pull each frame from the nuc. Inspect it so you can learn what everything looks like and then put into the new box. The frames with mostly honey go toward each outer wall of the new box. Then a couple new undrawn frame next to that, then your brood frames in the center. If you have 2 frames mostly capped brood, id think you could put an undrawn frame between them.

I know that's more than what you asked, but there's a fair chance that may have been your next questions.

Good luck and enjoy the experience!

Todd

 

[jncapiary]

The NUCS are sitting on the stand, I removed the hives and will put them back in place where the NUCS are currently when I transfer the frames.
The bees were out yesterday orienting and searching for a food source I guess and getting water.

I am a noobie so of course, I don't have drawn frames.
I do have double or triple coated black plastic foundation in new wooden frames I have ready.

Do I need to spray the new frames with sugar water before putting them in the new hive?

So what you're saying is 1 new foundation in the center between brood frames and 2 on each side 1 in from capped honey or nectar? ( short of check boarding them?)

Overnight temps are expected in the 50-60s the next 2 weeks from what I see on my phone app.

Thank you,
Joe

 

[trottet1]

Yes. I would just try to avoid splitting 2 brood frames with 2 new frames.

 

[jncapiary]

ok thank you.

 

[Fivej]

I like to let my nuc sit on top of the real hive for an hour or 3 when I first get it, just so they can settle down from being in the car. The entrance is open for foragers to come/go if it is above 50 F, otherwise I leave it closed. Then I will transfer them right before dusk. I don't see any reason to leave them in a nuc for a couple of days. Some nucs we get are overflowing and need to be moved immediately.

What Ruthie says. I don't think there is any benefit to not hiving them even if you have 40 degree temps at night. Bees come out and fly at 40 in the dead of winter. I do not believe the hive will be substantially colder in a 10 frame box. Just be sure that the nuc frames go in the middle of the box in the same order/orientation as the nuc. Put empty frames on the outside of the nuc frames. J

 

[jncapiary]

OK thank you.

The thing that baffles me the most is why would the seller tell me to wait for 4 days to transfer the bees to their new hive?
From all the videos and what I have learned you should be able to transfer them the same day you get them with a few exceptions - being too late/dark or bad or cold weather.
Thank you for all the advice.

Joe

 

[trottet1]

Because people will advise you with what works for them. It doesnt mean other methods dont work. Look at me and fivej. His advice is the text book way of doing it. I just started doing it the way I describe later on with hopes that they would draw frames faster. And now that I think about it and you being new, I think you should follow fivejs advice. Then as you progress, you can try new things and see what works for you.

 

[Michael Bush]

Weather is the only reason I can think of. Most "nuc" providers have you put it in your box on site when you take it and they keep the nuc box. I would do it while they are still thinking of the disruption of the trip so they will reorient better.

 

[jncapiary]

Hi Michael,
I got to keep the nucs they aren't the best, it actually looks like they're all pieced together.
I can take a photo of them after I transfer the bees to my hives.

I decided to do the transfer tomorrow that is what my plan is.

Currently it's overcast w/ possible storms and very cold and very windy...
Tomorrow is supposed to be Sunny and hit 80 degrees....
Thank you..

 

[jncapiary]

Hi All,

As soon as I got home from work and got everything organized I transferred both Nucs into 10 frame hives today.
The first Nuc I opened were very calm with some smoke on them.
I transferred the frames into a 10 frame deep body ( I gave them 5 new frames with plastic foundation that was double or triple waxed and sprayed with sugar water ) 2 on one side and 3 on the other side.
In that Nuc there were supersedure cells.
I am Pretty sure they were not closed and I couldn't tell if there was anything in them
I didn't take photos
I did see an old plastic queen cup in there that the seller said was in there a month ago to requeen it.

Should I squish all but 1 supersedure cell or leave them alone?

The other hive looked strong and I didn't see anything to be concerned about that I could tell lol.
I am going to go back in the first hive tomorrow after work again and take a better look at the supersedure cells on the frame and take some photos.

 

[rwlaw]

Get ahold of the seller, let them know what’s going on. Somethings going on to have supercedure cells. A nuc is supposed to have a fresh Q laying brood up a storm, not producing Q cells.

 

[JWPalmer]

Agree with Rod, contact the seller re the qc's and do not touch them! They may be your only chance at keeping this hive going.

 

[Saltybee]

How many "supercedure" cells ? Lots of possibilities here with limited info.

 

[DaisyNJ]

Whatever you do, I would NOT squish any cells at this point. First call up the supplier.

 

[Saltybee]

"I did see an old plastic queen cup in there that the seller said was in there a month ago to requeen it"

Screwed down top, wait a week, tells me a high probability this is a freshly made up nuc and the cells are as likely old emergency cells from a transfered frame. Also possible that they are superceder cells, my money is on emergency cells from a transfer.
You need to look at the laying pattern of the new queen, focus on the eggs and open brood not on the cells . Yes, you also need to take a real look at the cells before you call the supplier. Photos. Good ones, shake off the bees and walk away to get a clear view if you have to.

 

[jncapiary]

Ok let me say this first :
When I picked up the Nucs the seller told me to leave them alone for 4 days then I could transfer them to the new hive bodies.
He said after transferring them leave them alone for 2 weeks, I know I'm a noobie but this sounded odd to me.
So yesterday being nice weather I transferred the frames over to my new 10 frame deep bodies.
I started pulling frames on what appeared to be the weaker hive to me and the first 2 frames were pollen and honey with brood mixed in.
I, of course, was very nervous but wanted to get done and move on to the next hive.
The next frame (3rd frame) had a small supersedure cell and the 4th frame had 2-3 supersedure cells on it.
I do not recall any of them being capped, I couldn't tell if there was anything in them and didn't take pictures.
I tried to look for eggs in both hives but didn't notice any which I could most definitely missed them.
I didn't see the queen in either hive but again I could of and probably did miss her as well.
The other Nuc looked a lot stronger and I didn't notice anything odd so I just moved the frames into the new deep 10 frame body and gave them both 1-1 sugar water in my top "don the fat bee man" style feeders.

I did message the seller last night and told him what I found and he said:
Did I notice Egss? ------------- I said No but saw larva - I am sure I missed eggs and I know that's how you tell if the queens still there (but remember I'm a noobie !)
Did I take any photos? -------------- No, I was nervous enough being my 1st time working bees. lol
He then told me I didn't spend enough time looking at frames ----------- I beg to differ as it felt like it was days and he told me to transfer the frames and leave them be for 2 weeks before going back in the hives.

He also said the nuc with the cups got a new queen a month ago and it was mated and laying and said if I wanted to pinch all the cells except for 1 in case they are wanting to re-queen.

My plan was to go back into that hive tonight and do a better inspection but today is overcast with rain possible and cool in the 60's so I have decided to leave them alone till this coming weekend.

One of 2 things:

The supersedure cells will be capped or there is nothing in them.
My other concern is how long does it take to build the cups and how could the seller have missed them unless he never opened the hive before selling it to me and looked at it himself?
I picked up the nucs Saturday night around 7:30pm, could the have built the cups by Tuesday?