Just got a call from my supplier and thay need me to pick up my nuc on the 1st which is 9 days early. I'm also getting a package of bees on the 5th from a local supplier. Since I was planning on getting the package first, I was going to buy a queen when I picked up the nuc and requeen the package.
The nuc is 5 frames. If I stole a frame from it, along with whatever bees are on it besides the queen, and made a 3 frame temporary nuc, would that leave enough resources and bees to survive until I get the package four days later, which I can then move the extra queen into the hive I put the packed bees into and put the queen from the packaged bees into the 3 frame nuc. Or should I kiss the money goodbye and forget the extra queen?
And what's a good way to keep the queen warm during the 3 hour drive home after I pick her and the nuc up?