I use almost all mediums and thought a five frame medium nuc may be a good idea What do ya think?
(http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/7536/img9549c.jpg) (http://img202.imageshack.us/i/img9549c.jpg/)
(http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/8554/img9550.jpg) (http://img243.imageshack.us/i/img9550.jpg/)
(http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/6020/img9551.jpg) (http://img243.imageshack.us/i/img9551.jpg/)
I think you will find it to be very useful. I have the BB attached to mine so that I can pick the whole thing up at once.
Buzzbee -- what are your plans for using the 5 framer?
I will use it for small swarms and possibly split to get them started.Sometimes a colony is too small and can benefit from a smaller container.You can also pull a couple frames of brood and honey and start a new colony.
Since I use mostly mediums I can transfer from a five to ten frame box pretty handily.
Right on.
What did you use to cut the hand holds? Are they fractory made?
I have lots of five frame medium nucs... more than I can count off the top of my head but I'm sure there are at least a hundred... very useful for queen rearing, and not bad for small swarms and small splits.
I'm using all mediums and a medium nuc came in handy for a split.
That's a Great idea ken. I talk to people all the time looking for them. No body is making them for sale around here that I know of.
Brushy Mountain is selling them. I got mine from there to have on hand as an emergancy hive/swarm hive. looks like he got his from there too... post-it notes over logos. they come as a double decker which is nice. The only complaint is the outter cover is REALLY a loose fit and slides all around on the inner cover if you wiggle it.
I haven't had any luck catching swarms in medium nucs. I think the volume is generally too small. The few I shook into medium nucs walked out of them. I went back to using full 8 or 10 frame mediums for swarm collection.
That is why I got the double deep medium. I have had swarms or afterswarms that a five framer would be sufficient for.
I have that same one from Brushy Mt. 2 supers high and I even purchased the screened bottom board. I have a small split sitting in it right at the moment and they are looking good.
looking good ken. now get you some o that good glue and make yo self a nuke
There are studies that suggest that swarms measure the volume of a potential home and are prone to reject it if it is under 40 liters. So it really would not matter how small the swarm is, if they don't have brood to anchor them there they are likely to leave if the volume is too small.
Now the double mediums solves that problem, but I personally don't see the need to carry two boxes when I can carry just one.
I've put many packages in one eight frame medium. No more issues with absconding than with any other size... yes the swarm scouts measure it. I don't think the package that is already in it does. They draw comb a lot faster with a smaller box in our cold springs.
Buzzbee,
I see that you covered up somebody's logo :evil:
Because I value my time, I just recently bought 6 Medium Nucs from Brushy ( they were on sale ) instead of making them. And yes they're very useful :-D