Dumbest noob to ever noob a nuc!

[Ralphee]

Afternoon all,

New beek here and as i like to say "All the gear, but no idea!"
Have two happy hives at the moment(*read below first), it was three for a very short time (short version - I rescued a hive from a scout hall wall, cut out the comb, wired it into empty frames, and got a very harsh crash course on why 'bee space' is important and how quickly SHB can overrun a hive when you create a space for them.....) - interesting fact - i can fit two 8 frame supers into my freezer! Frames and boxes complete!
And following some good advice to put insecticide on the ground in front of that hive (Coopex) to make sure the larva don't come up and have a go at my other hives, i diligently mixed and applied to the affected area, which i have now discovered was much too close to my good hives... and have a couple hundred dead bees on the ground in front of them now.
In short, i am not the best noob beek going, but i am going to do everything i can to get these girls through! Not their fault i am a twit!

[Bob Wilson]

Ralphee, welcome to the forum. In my one year keeping bees, I have learned some lessons.
1. Get some (Thuricide BT Caterpillar Control), and use it under and around the hives for the beetle larva. It is a biological target for catepillars and wont harm the bees. I also have put traps in the bottom board of my hives with mineral oil in them for the bees to chase the beetles into.
2. I have learned to to keep the space tight, so the bees have less area to police for beetles, but not so tight that the bees are swarming.
3. And lastly, everyone felt dumb when they first started out. Read as much and as widely as you can, so you can avoid mistakes, and learn by doing.

[Ralphee]

Thanks Bob,

Yeah, learning the hard way on a few things
My *very* calm bees that i can basically dance around the hives also have a nasty side when annoyed, i was very worried so i went and checked on them (like i have done dozens on times) with no suit on or smoker (not opening hive, so i dont need them, right?), and lifted the back of the hive to feel the weight because i saw dead bees on the ground. Had one bee come out and buzz me very loudly (clearly not happy!) so i turned to walk away - and one other bees very aggressively made a straight line for my wrist and zapped me just below the watch band. Wow did that one hurt! Puffed up my whole forearm and back of my hand, two full days later and it is just going down now!
Don't upset bee's! They can and will win that fight....