[Wesbee]

I'll be picking up 2 nucs mid-may,about 1 1/2 hr drive home. the bees are shipped in to the pick-up place, so I assume they are closed in the nuc hive/box already ,so all I need is move them to my truck and no other box, wrap or net needed, right? I have a topper with slide open side windows. next question do nucs come mostly full? so they need to be put in a bigger hive right away? no problem just wondering! next question I suppose there is no way to check the bees when I pick them up with out losing bees that would fly out.there again no problem just wondering if some do open the nuc when they pick up ?

 

[Santa Caras]

No, dont open the nuc when you pick it up. You'll have bees flying around everywhere. If after you get home you have a problem then contact your bee dealer but there shouldnt be a prob generally. When you place the nucs in your truck, make sure the frames...are parallel to the length of the truck. That way when you stop n go....the frames dont sway and possiblly hurt the queen. When you get home just place them wherever your gonna put them. I left mine overnite closed up to let em calm down. Early in the morning, (before the sun came up) I went out and popped open the opening. You dont have to transfer them right away into a bigger box but within a week I would. Put a feeder on em after transffering till they're up and running. I'm a newbie so others may have better advice but thats all I got! Have fun!

 

[KPeacock]

I did everything just as SC says above. i did put mine straight into 10-frame boxes first thing in the morning befoer they were flying. yes, the nuc was pretty darn full of bees.

 

[WWW]

All good advice and I might add that you place the nucs up against the front of the truck bed with some type of cushion under them during transport, this will smooth out the ride home. Anything placed over the rear axle or at the tailgate will be in for a rough ride.

 

[laketrout]

One real concern is heat , last year the guy with 75 plus nucs showed up at the pick up with them all stacked on top of each other on a 80 degree day in those white cardboard box's with very little ventilation. I picked up two got them home within 90 mins and one was already dead . I contacted the guy that set it up and he said he was getting quite a few calls of dead bee's , not sure they ever owned up to the amount of dead nucs but it was at least 20 % . What I'm getting at is if its one of those 80 degree days when you pick them up at least try to keep them cool on the way home , I'd rather see them in the vehicle with the a/c on .

 

[Wesbee]

thanks everyone,some very helpful info!