Mini Nuc's

[ronwhite3030]

So I wanted to build something today and I decided I wanted to try my hand at building a double mini nuc and this is what I came up with.

[specialkayme]

First picture has plywood and a box of granulated sugar in it. Two very recent topics of controversial methods. I got a laugh out of it.

But in all seriousness, they look great Ron. It looks like that central divider can be removed, right?

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but there is an entrance on both sides, right? I see the hole on the one side, but I don't see one on the other side.

[ronwhite3030]

lol, that box there is by accident, it is my kindling box and I still forgot to fill it up with scrap wood, although I do use granulated sugar and my bees seem to be doing just fine and as i'm concerned bees make homes in alot worst stuff then plywood, bees have been around along time.

[AllenF]

Very good looking hives.   Stain grade plywood also.   Nice job.

[Tommyt]

Very good looking hives.  Stain grade plywood also.   Nice job.

I was thinking the same $$ plywood
High end Bees  8-)

Tommyt

[rdy-b]

looking good-I have some nucs with similar design-only medium size-not deep
they use a sreen vent up high-about 1/2 inch-in diameter and they use a small size entrance -
like you are doing-only thing i wish where different with mine -is the entrance
needs to be close to the floor -reason being -the bees cant remove the dead bees from
the nuc with the entrance to high above the floor-small detail except when it is time to restock
with fresh bees-RDY-B

[ronwhite3030]

good point Rdy on the entrance the entrance is 2 inches from the bottom and I saw there was a vent hole on the top usually but I need to get 1/8" hardware cloth. do people usually use bronze, stainless or galvanized hardware cloth? And the woods out of the scrap bin of the shop so no spending money on these bees well as least as I can.

[rdy-b]

the wire on mine is gavinized-one thing about that -it is better to paint first -reason being-the paint will clog up on the screen-another after thought- 8-) RDY-B

[ronwhite3030]

yea thanks for all the after thoughts if you think of any more let me know, I made my entrance hole 7/16" I would of made it 1/2" but I found 5-7/16" bits and 0- 1/2" bits.

[rdy-b]

1/2- 3/4 for vent--entrance only needs to be big enough for one bee to crawl through-about the size of a pencile-that way they wont get rob out in the sumer time--like i said mine are medium size with half frames -not a lot of bees to fend off a robing atack- RDY-B

[rdy-b]

 you can make the frames and nucs any frame depth you want --but make the half frames so they will fit in
a growing box-this way two grow boxes fit ontop of a colony perfect -just like a supper --this way you get a jump start with brood and bees before the season starts-just remove from full size colony-and set up your nucs with frames of brood and bees --already drawn out-piece of cake for the start of the season-
http://www.mannlakeltd.com/ProductDetail.asp?idproduct=1095&idCategory=

   ;) RDY-B

[ronwhite3030]

that is awesome thankyou I actually made mine 10" wide so I guess I lucked out on that one It looks like you keep expanding them until they are suitable to go on top of a full sized Hivebody and you can start the process all over again.

[rdy-b]

  each grow box holds ten frames --two grow boxes fit perfectly ontop of a colony
  -use them to get frames drawn out --or to jump start the bees and brood for the mating nucs--
  once they are drawn out -and you have them up and runing all the frames are used in the mating nucs--
  only need a few to keep the ball rolling-RDY-B

[ronwhite3030]

how many mini nucs dou you usually use in a season ready and how many full size hives do you have?

[tecumseh]

rdy writes:
the bees cant remove the dead bees from the nuc with the entrance to high above the floor

tecumseh:
not exactly correct.  a low population baby nuc will have few undertaker bees and thereby the small units ability to remove dead bees will somewhat constrained.  once these small units are well populated their ability to remove debris is pretty much like a full sized hive no matter where you place then entrance.

ronwhite writes:
I actually made mine 10" wide

tecumseh:
the frame's top bar or the box?  I think my top bars (can check directly if it matters?) are about 9 & 1/4 inch. the divider is a nice option allowing a beekeeper to reduce or expand space depending on need.

[rdy-b]

sounds good TEC-- can you tell it to my bees   :lol: always dead bees inside my
mating nucs-and at times earwigs-small hole entrance-one bee at a time-needs to
be close or at floor level-so bees can clean out dead bees-another point that comes to mind is that- it is better NOT to have any bee space between the top of frames and the lid-reason being is the bur comb that will connect the frames to the lid-
lifting lid with frames stuck to it makes for less than passive inspection--and it is possible to lay a piece of plastic down for a pillow effect rather than inercover to cure this sometimes annoying problem-other than the things i have mentioned
i find this style nuc much more preferable than the pocket boxes i used before -RW this is a very small scale queen end-ever-i try to keep up to 15 double nucs going-for a harvest of 20-30 queens per round--some better than others
and you will have better luck feeding drivert sugar to the nucs rather than syrup-just dump it in to the nuc on the floor-
lot less robing and in the dry sumer every bit helps-anyway no matter what you decide just make them all the same so everything interchanges-less headaches that way- ;) -RDY-B

[ronwhite3030]

tec, the boxes are 10 inches wide, my frames are 9" wide but i mighnt make them 9 1/4 the next time i make some just to make them a little less loose.

rdy- what type of sugar is drivert? I have never heard of it

[AllenF]

Drivert -  Bakers sugar.    http://www.chsugar.com/PROFESSIONAL/Pages/430_3d_6.htm

This sugar can be fed directly to bees without mixing into a syrup.  This means less work, less mess, and less moisture in the hive--and the bees love it.  It has a texture somewhere between powdered sugar and fine table sugar, but is much softer to the touch than table sugar.  Unlike powdered sugar, it has no corn starch.
 
This sugar is a favorite of bakers because 8% of it is inverted, giving it a moisture retaining ability, which bakers love.  Note, Drivert sugar should not be used as a substitute for sugar syrup feeding, but is an excellent supplement at certain times of the year, and is being used increasingly by commercial beekeepers.

[rdy-b]

tec, the boxes are 10 inches wide, my frames are 9" wide but i might make them 9 1/4 the next time i make some just to make them a little less loose.

dry- what type of sugar is drivert? I have never heard of it

  drivert is a name trademarked by C&H it is fine table sugar that is amalgamated in invert sugar
and looks similar to the constancy of tide laundry soap powder-many advantages to feeding invert sugars-for feeding
mating nucs -I was taught this trick from SUE COBEY at queen rearing seminar-one more plus is that C&H only makes this product as far as i know at the crocket plant in cali-west coast thing  8-) and others have hard time finding Drivert-you can get it at Dadaist chico-there must be other forms of dry invert sugar -but i dont know of them-invert syrup is also very popular-and adds benefit to home brew pollen subs and such-RDY-B

[rdy-b]

tec, the boxes are 10 inches wide, my frames are 9" wide but i mighnt make them 9 1/4 the next time i make some just to make them a little less loose.

rdy- what type of sugar is drivert? I have never heard of it

my top bars are  9 1/8-----91/4  they work out perfect for grow boxes-(two grow boxes fit perfect )
   ;) RDY-B