I want to make a nuc/split from two hives I have. the plan is to take 2 frames from each and have a honey/pollen frame in with them. The frames I take will have brood as well as fresh eggs or a few days old(hoping). will the workers make some queen cells from the new eggs or should I just get a new queen and have her kick off laying eggs right away rather than wait.
Thanks
Your plan will work just fine. To grow a good queen you need lots of bees of the right age. These will be on open brood frames.
It's good practice after you get your frames installed to shake the nurse bees off another frame or two just to make sure you have enough.
Woody Roberts
While you are in your hives, keep an eye out for swarm cells. If you are lucky and find some bee sure to add them to the nuc. Since you are removing brood frames, reduce the chance of swarming, by replacing the frames in the middle of the hive in a checkerboard pattern with empty drawn frames or either foundation or empty frames mixed Every other one with brood frames.
Jim
Quote from: sawdstmakr on June 11, 2014, 10:28:24 PM
While you are in your hives, keep an eye out for swarm cells. If you are lucky and find some bee sure to add them to the nuc. Since you are removing brood frames, reduce the chance of swarming, by replacing the frames in the middle of the hive in a checkerboard pattern with empty drawn frames or either foundation or empty frames mixed Every other one with brood frames.
Jim
I made 2 this way and both are now in deeps with a medium rocking. Didnt get em all though, hive still swarmed, twice. Caught the secondary and its cranking up good now too. Good Luck. I just used 2 frames of bees eggs and capped cells, 1 frame of honey pollen, and 2 empty frames, but Im sure more bees is always better. G :chop:
I would also shake a few frames of nurse bees in the nuc..
Quote from: schawee on June 13, 2014, 12:41:12 AM
I would also shake a few frames of nurse bees in the nuc..
I have often wondered, with limited hives, and already stealing frames of brood and nurses, how does one know he is not robbing too many nurses from the mother colony? If he does so will some foragers regress back to nursing duties? G :chop:
Two hives for one nuc? :-\
In the next few days, I'll be making four nucs from one hive, as well as keeping the original hive going. From what I understand, nucs will draw out frames super fast. I figure once the nucs are established, I can control their size by pulling a frame of brood out and giving it back to the hive now and then.
Quote from: biggraham610 on June 13, 2014, 12:54:04 AM
Quote from: schawee on June 13, 2014, 12:41:12 AM
I would also shake a few frames of nurse bees in the nuc..
I have often wondered, with limited hives, and already stealing frames of brood and nurses, how does one know he is not robbing too many nurses from the mother colony? If he does so will some foragers regress back to nursing duties? G :chop:
If the 2 hives are strong, full of bees, it will not bee a problem.
If he keeps the nuc in the same location, the foragers will return to the original hives. That is why you need to shake another frame of nurse bees into the nuc.
Jim