When to move nuke to hive

6435 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by ggoodman, Aug 6, 2014

ggoodman

Discussion Starter · Aug 6, 2014

So today my uncle and i drove to hours to get a nuke from a guy with more bees than i have ever seen in one tiny yard. I picked the one that seems to have the healthiest population. I inspected the hive and my lord was it loaded every frame filled with eggs and a tiny bit of honey in the corners. TONS of bee's covering all the frames and literally no space period. we put the nuke next to the hive it is going into and as I pulled the towel about 30 bees poured out crawling over the hive and a few took flight(flood lights were on in backyard.

my question:
we were planning on putting them into a ten frame deep tomorrow about mid day and adding a top hive feeder moving the 5 framed in the nuc checking for a queen and giving them 2 drawn frames to build on. this sound like a good plan?

as time goes i have a bunch of partially honey filled frames from an absconded hive in the freezer i would love for them to clean out I was thinking i could put them in one at a time an pull them.

thanks for the input.

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psfred

· #2 · Aug 6, 2014

If those frames with honey are deeps, I'd use them to install in the 10 frame deep with the nuc. They will use it or store it as they see fit this time of year.

I assume you want a full deep to overwinter, why not just let them keep that honey?

Peter

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Bees In Miami

· #3 · Aug 6, 2014

Sounds like they are more than ready for a 10 frame box. Do not add a feeder. They sound well established, and a bonus if you have partial frames of honey to give them (but don't over-do it!). I would keep the brood nest in the order in which it is now, add four frames with foundation or drawn comb if you have it, and as a 'bonus', you can give them a partial frame of honey placed on the outside (1 or 10) position. If you find that one of the outer frames from the Nuc is more honey than anything else, you can move that to the outer edge, too...in other words, two honey frames, one in #1 slot, the other in #10 slot...keep the brood nest in the middle, and add the foundation frames in between. This gives them room to grow, for a few weeks anyways... (ps...not nuke...Nuc! It's pronounced the same, but the other spelling can get you into trouble with the 'Authorities'...lol)

(I started tying this about 3 hours ago...so instead of losing it all, I will post. If this has been said already, my apology) Good luck! Sounds like a nice strong Nuc!

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ggoodman

Discussion Starter · #4 · Aug 6, 2014 (Edited)

Thanks for the advise We are just getting into our fall flow and our first frost is a minimum of 4 months or better away. So i am not to concerned about winter yet. I will put the 5 framed from the nuc in the middle a drawn empty frame on each side and 2 honey frames on the end.

he didnt spot the queen spot the queen the bottom of the nuke was drawn out and despite my pressuring him he wouldnt put the suit back on and make sure she was not in the bottom of the NUC is now about 10' behind the hive. threre appear to be fewer bees but I am not going near their area until much later in the day. this was not a fun experience, and I am second guessing my decision.

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ggoodman

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 6, 2014

We moved the nuc to a hive and OMG this thing should have been moved a lOOOOONG time ago. they were backfilling, bee's busting at the brim. my uncle had the suit on and let me tell you between the geographic move and moving them to a hive they were pissed. at 20' away watching I got chased 150ish feet before I got popped three times int the arm I was wearing a white **** viel. He's not used smoke before but after today he said will always use it from here out.

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