Management of Nucs

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Management of Nucs

• Presented
• By
• The Ohio State Beekeepers Association

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Management of Nucs

• What is a nucleus hive?
• Three purposes for managing Nucs
• To sell to individuals beginning a new hive.
  (Nuc production)
• Used to mate virgin queens (queen production).
• Used to manage summer increases/hold several
  queens for requeening in an emergency/ and over
  wintering.

3
Nucs sold to individuals beginning a new hive.
(Nuc production)

• One way is produce income from your bees is to
  sell nucs to those wanting to start new hives.
• Very short term management.
• Nucs are sold as 4 or 5 frame starter hives. A
  nuc has a number of advantages over packages
  bees. They also offer a few disadvantages.
• A good nuc hive will have three frames of brood
  in all stages of development, a good laying
  queen, and some honey and pollen stores.

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About these nucs

• A nuc can be made up from a strong hive. Any
  hive which is strong enough to be split can be
  used to make up one or two nucs.
• You need three frames of brood and enough bees to
  cover the brood extra bees and a laying queen.
  Add a frame of honey and pollen and another frame
  of bees if making up a five frame nuc.

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Comments

• You can build nuc boxes to transport these bees
  to their new hive, have the customer provide
  their own equipment, or use cardboard nuc boxes
  sold for just this purpose.
• The price charged depends upon--- condition of
  frames, number of frames, new queen or old queen,
  frame exchange, nuc box used and prevailing
  charges for nucs in your area. I noticed that
  Better Bee advertises nucs sold either in your
  box or deposit required for theirs to be returned.

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This is very important!

• All nucs sold should be inspected by your state
  inspection service prior to sale.
• Some states do not allow bees to be imported into
  their states on comb. (Check out all laws
  governing the sale of bees and comb in your
  state).

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Some states do not allow bees to be imported into
their states on comb.

• Why?
• AFB is easily spread on comb in nucs or hives of
  bees.
• It is still a major bee disease in the U.S.
• Would you want to be responsible for spreading
  this disease into someone elses beekeeping
  operation?

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Used to mate virgin queens (queen production).

• If you are raising queens, each new queen will
  require a nuc, or a separate section within a
  multi-nuc.
• Various sizes of nucs are used! Shown here is a
  four frame mini nuc.

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queen production

• Management of small sized nucs requires more
  intensive attention than larger nucs.
• Larger nucs such as a nuc designed to hold
  standard size full deep frames, require less
  attention.

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Managing Nucs for Increase/over wintering/queen
replacement

• I would recommend that beekeepers maintain
  several nuc hives during the bee season. (Dana
  Stahlman)
• Have on hand ready a queen replacement for any
  queen-less or failing queen hive.
• They could be used to make increases or to add
  bee populations to hives during nectar flows.
  Five frame nuc hives can explode in population
  growth in a very short period of time.
• They could be used to make summer increases as
  described in Larry Conners book Increase
  Essentials.

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Have on hand ready a queen replacement for any
queen-less or failing queen hive.

• A queen can lay 2000 eggs per day.
• In 10 days this can amount to 20,000 honey bees.
• In 20 days this can amount to 40,000 honey bees.
• Remember the old adage honey bees make honey!

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They can be used to make summer increases

• Adapting to climate conditions in the north
• It is true that increases are made often in early
  April but not with Northern raised queens. The
  person wanting to make increases in April or
  early May have no choice but to buy queens rather
  than raise their own.
• However, what would happen if you could make
  summer increases and hold them over the winter?
• Using your over wintered nucs to make strong new
  hives in the spring.

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Using your over wintered nucs to make strong new
hives in the spring

• It is possible to over winter nucs and single
  deep hives in the north.
• Requirements
• Plenty of food stores -- Nucs fed in late
  summer
• Treat for disease
• Good healthy queens
• Good healthy bee stock
• Some sort of protection
• Beekeepers use various methods to over winter
  nucs.

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Various methods to over winter nucs

• Some nucs are placed above strong hives. The
  heat from the hive below helps the smaller unit
  above.
• Some nucs are placed in shelters.