New Missouri Beekeeper

[JAYBEE]

Started 2 hives on 5/20/12 with 5deep frame nucs. Using Kelly hives w/foundationless frames. Bees are a Carnolian/Minnesota Hygienic mix, raised locally. Very gentle bees, have been working with just a veil. In the first week they have built a full frame of brood comb in each hive, with starts on 2 other frames. Is this good progress? Been counting bees coming and going and most of the day it is 60 going each way a minute. Got some rain Monday night and today they are 120pm. First 3 days about half were bringing in pollen, now mostly nectar. Would like to eventually work the nuc frames out of the hive, any tips on that would be appreciated. Jim

[Joe D]

Welcome to the forum.  If I understand correctly,you wont to know how to transfer frames to a full size hive, 8 or 10 frame deep.  You can wait until you are closer to having nuc 70% full and just move them to a full size brood box.  Or move them as soon as you would like.  Never delt with nucs, when I catch a swarm I put them in a deep 10 frame box to start with, foundationless.  I have 1 swarm I caught 6 weeks ago put in a deep with 9 frames, added med with 9 frames at week 3, added a shallow with comb at week 5, they have several of those with some honey in them.  They are doing better that other swarms I got this year.  Good luck to you and your bees

Joe

[tefer2]

Welcome to the forum JAYBEE.

[hardwood]

Welcome! Are you trying to rotate the combs that came with the nuc out? Start moving them toward the outer edges and take them out once the brood has emerged.

Scott

[specialkayme]

Welcome to the site!

[JAYBEE]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. To clarify the nucs were 3 frames brood, 1 stores, and an expansion frame. They are installed in single 10 frame deeps now. Thanks for the advice on rotating the nuc frames out Hardwood. They are old combs and will work great in the nuc boxes for bait hives. Like this guys nuc boxes, bottom, long sides and top of lid are fiberglass, light and very durable. Hopefully getting video of inspection later this week. Lovin these gentle bees, the big dog had to put his nose to the entrance and eat one to get them mad, the little cloud around his muzzle convinced him not to do that again. The forage right now is amazing, yards full of clover, magnolia, mimosa, and I think I saw my bees on some red trumpet vine. They are darker and a little smaller than most bees in the area. Think that was the source of the bright yellow pollen. Now they are bringing in an orange pollen.  Jim

[AllenF]

Welcome to the forum.