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Author Topic: Transfer Nuc to KTBH  (Read 10665 times)

Offline manfre

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Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« on: December 17, 2008, 02:44:27 pm »
The local group is ordering nuc's for next year and I was wondering if there is an easy way of transferring a nuc in to a KTBH? The only ways I can think of making this happen is to either wire the nuc frames to a top bar. I'm not sure how easy this would be with the bees on the frame.

I could also make a few "lang adapaters", inserts to square off the walls and hold a frame. A hinged top bar piece would hold the frame in place. This would require more effort to build, but would make it possible to transfer to/from a medium box. It would look something like \|__|/ with the hinged part sitting over the frame and the TB portions over the edges would be firmly attached to the frame holder.

After re-reading above, I think the most obvious (and easiest) solution is to get a box of bees that I can shake in. Although, I still think the lang adapters could be useful.
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2008, 09:00:11 pm »
Easiest way I know of is to remove one of the top bar frames and then set the nuc atop the top bar hive so the bees have enter and exit the hive through the TBH.   They will expand into TBH and after a few weeks you can remove the nuc, or if it still has brood in it let it queen itself.  Once there is adequate comb in the TBH the queen should go down on her own.
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Offline BBees

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2008, 11:10:48 pm »
Just an idea, but if the dimensions of your KTBH will allow: Collect enough TBH Top Bars for the number of frames in the nuc. Pre-drill 2 or 3 holes through the TBH Top Bars. When the nuc arrives, just pull off the nuc cover, and lay the pre-drilled TBH Top Bars on the top bars of the nuc frames. Couple of short screws with a drill-driver through the TBH Top Bars into the nuc frames. Lift out the nuc frames with your newly attached Top Bars and put them into your KTBH and your done.
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Offline justgojumpit

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #3 on: December 18, 2008, 12:42:34 am »
Easiest way I know of is to remove one of the top bar frames and then set the nuc atop the top bar hive so the bees have enter and exit the hive through the TBH.   They will expand into TBH and after a few weeks you can remove the nuc, or if it still has brood in it let it queen itself.  Once there is adequate comb in the TBH the queen should go down on her own.

Genious!!! I have been wondering for some time about this myself, with no good answer.  Any problem with bees messing up the comb?

What about making some special top bars with notches in them for this purpose? ie:

llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll            llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll            llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

(all the llllllllllll's imply solid wood, where the spaces are a gap.) 

Put 5 of these top bars next to eachother.
Now take the bottom off of the nuc, or build a bottomless box to hold the frames.
put the nuc over the holes.  when the bees expand the broodnest into the tbh, check for the queen in the nuc. 
once you are sure the queen is in the tbh, put a queen excluder between the nuc and the tbh.
wait for the brood to finish hatching in the nuc, and then remove it.

Maybe we can keep the ball rolling here and someone else can make this even better!

justgojumpit
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Offline manfre

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2008, 01:21:51 am »
That is definitely a much easier way. Thanks for the good advise.

Would the nuc get enough ventilation if the top is covered and there is only a few small holes at the bottom for the bees to enter/exit?
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Offline manfre

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2008, 01:47:33 am »
After the queen transfers down to the TBs from the nuc, would the bees eventually use the nuc for honey storage? I saw pictures of a TBH with a super sitting on top of part of it.
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Offline Robo

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2008, 10:51:50 am »
I built my TBHs so that a Langstroth frame would fit and then just wired the frames to the bottom of the top bars.  After the bees started building there own comb,  I slowly moved the Langstroth bars to the outsides and then removed them.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,18479.msg137301.html#msg137301

BTW,  if anybody is interested on a good deal for these TBH (no bees) let me know :-P
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Offline Larry

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2009, 10:38:14 am »
I did the same as robo I even put the frames i the back hoping the colony would build near the entrance and abandon the frames. No joy there, I have found through the school of hard knocks that the only wat to do a clean transfere is to shake the nuc into the new TH and cut all remaning brood comb from the frames (Beware of the wires clip them first right through the comb face) Place the brood comb in the hive upside down. run long thin sticks or skewers through ittop and bottom to hold it in place and spaced as long as it is upside down the queen cannot lay in it because the angle is wrong and she will abandoin it. As soon as the remaning brood hatches out pull the empty comb out and save it to use in a bait hive.

Offline Michael Bush

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2009, 08:38:19 pm »
Given a choice, I'd just buy packages to populate TBHs instead of nucs.  If nucs where the only choice, I'd build frames to tie the combs in and do a cutout.
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Offline watercarving

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2009, 10:38:09 pm »
Did nucs last year to get a 'head start'. Just turned into headaches as the TBH doesn't work good with frames. I'm doing packages this year for my new hives.
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Offline manfre

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2009, 07:37:52 pm »
I chose to go with foundationless medium hives. Nucs seemed like the easiest, most reliable way to get started. I'll probably give a TBH a try after I have some experience with bees.
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Offline Robo

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2009, 06:35:32 am »
From a member
Quote
You may try something like this. It could be helpful.
http://www.homepage.interaccess.com/~netpol/POLISH/Ule/KlamraEN.html

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Offline Natalie

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2009, 10:02:42 am »
Thats a great idea. I remember when those hairclips were very popular.
I am sure you can still get them, I will have to look when I go to the store today and pick some up just to have on hand for when I am sure the day will come that I will need them.

Offline Wojtek

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #13 on: April 07, 2009, 02:10:37 pm »
You will get it in Wallgreens or some other similar stores, however mines are slightly adapted to better fit to TB.
Wojtek

Offline Natalie

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #14 on: April 07, 2009, 03:37:06 pm »
I checked out your website, you have some beautiful hives there.

Offline eivindm

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #15 on: April 08, 2009, 02:38:21 am »
Here are a couple of pics posted for Wojtec:




Offline Natalie

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #16 on: April 08, 2009, 11:17:37 am »
Thanks for the pictures. Does the comb have to fairly aged for that to work.
I am wondering if its newer comb if the clip will tear through after hanging it from the weight of the comb.

Offline Robo

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #17 on: April 08, 2009, 12:19:31 pm »
I would say you want at least one brood cycle thru the comb, otherwise it will just tear out.
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Offline Wojtek

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #18 on: April 08, 2009, 08:32:34 pm »
Natalie.
Success in using these clamps to hang a combs depends on several things.
How big is a clamp.
Haw big is a comb.
Kind of a comb : heavy with honey, just brood, combination of both and its ratio.
How old is a comb. Newer are always weaker and more delicate than older.
Temperature.
Manual skill and hands on experience.
I don’t see much sense to transfer heavy combs full of honey. If there is high ratio of honey in brood combs you may cut off just brood part and hang it.
In any situation hanged comb is temporary till bees construct its own design appropriate for new hive on TB without clamp.
Considering at least what I sad even very new comb can be hanged successfully.
It is OK to listen what someone prophetically say, “I would say you want at least one brood cycle thru the comb, otherwise it will just tear out.” , but it would be better to have first at least some hands on experience.
It is also truth that some persons have particular skill to mess all they put their hands on.  It happened to me too.
Thank you Eivindm for displaying these pictures, and Natalie for nice words.
Wojtek
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Offline Robo

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Re: Transfer Nuc to KTBH
« Reply #19 on: April 08, 2009, 10:11:05 pm »
It is OK to listen what someone prophetically say, “I would say you want at least one brood cycle thru the comb, otherwise it will just tear out.” , but it would be better to have first at least some hands on experience.

Prophetically???   Wow, we sure do know how to come to a new place and make friends now don't we :roll:   Since I have removed 100s of feral colonies,  I have had plenty of experience handling and mounting comb and stand by my statement.

Not knowing you, I won't be as pompous and make judgments about your opinions.
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