nucs that you buy

[rookie2531]

Are nucs that you buy overwintered? How is one suppose to make queens and colonies strong before the spring flow, if they are first year nucs? Do they have to come from southern warmer climates?
The reason for these questions are because, everyone in my local, buys their queens and I am wondering why? It is still cold here in April and frost can happen up to May 15, so is it not logical to raise your own queens? As a first year beek, I didn't know the flows and gearing up for them and so forth.
Does raising your own queens mean, missing out on the first flow? If yes, is this why some overwinter nucs?

[GSF]

Supposedly the queens are proven laying queens. There is a standard line I've used a lot this year, "You can either make bees or you can make honey."

The bees themselves will ramp up brood production before the flow to coincide with the harvest. Some folks feed them early on to help out, however one must be careful not to feed too much or they will back fill the brood box and swarm. Or they may swarm no matter what you do.

[rookie2531]

Gary, I should have questioned it like this. Does raising your own queen mean, that whoever buys them, missed out on the first flow? If yes, is this why you should overwinter them if you want to sell them?

[10framer]

i sounds like your flows probably get started in mid may to early june from what you said earlier.  you can't really raise good queens until there is a decent flow on.  so, if your question is do you miss the main flow by starting new hives with queens you raised that season the answer is probably yes.  i think you would do better by wintering nucs and trying to expand them before the flows get kicked off or make big splits late in the spring/summer flows and winter twice as many full colonies.  no matter how you do it you will sacrifice some honey production.   

[biggraham610]

Making strong spring splits here equals zero honey. I have been told that we have a weak fall flow if any at all. I witnessed it this year. Spring is great, but after that its over. The splits I made in the spring are strong going into the winter. Depending how many make it through, i will have to dedicate hives for production and for splits. One hive wont do both. Good Luck. G

[rookie2531]

Thanks for the info, this is probably why I couldn't find a local supplier of nucs in April, just packages. They must be coming from southern warmer climates, especially since I don't think drones are flying in March. Not to mention, my queen was superceded as soon as she came out of the cage.

Now to figure if nucs will sell in summer after the flow?

I could just take a queen that was made last summer and some frames and sell them while making a new queen during the flow. Is that how its done, to sell to the people early spring. Seems early spring is when new beeks and experienced beeks alike buy the most.

[GSF]

I bought 3 three pound packages early, early this spring. Everyone of the queens failed. (lack of drones?)I got another package (helping a friend out) in April or late April and she did great. Swarmed at least twice this summer.

[Michael Bush]

Most nucs are made up in the spring in a place with warm weather or with queens from such a place.  Some are overwintered.  If they don't specify, I would assume they were not overwintered...

[10framer]

i just realized that you want to sell them.  winter regular colonies with young queens and make your nucs with those queens at the beginning of the flows.  that will give the workers left behind time to draw out replacement comb before the new queen is laying and they will be able to forage more during the brood break.  
this is just my opinion, i think you should probably get your feet a bit more wet before you start selling bees if you have just started keeping bees yourself.  you may unintentionally sell bees with problems to beginners and ruin your reputation early in the game.  

[rookie2531]

OK, thanks again for the info guys. Framer, you have a good point and I'll most likely start splitting and queen rearing next year and see how they overwinter next winter. I really need more colonies anyway.

[OldMech]

10Framer has a good point..
   Raise your own queens for increase and get good at it. You will have a lot of fun in doing so.
   I have poor opinions of packages, but I do think that buying a package is a great idea, so long as you requeen that package when your own queens, or local queens are available..  the package queen WILL get the new hive or nuc going and have it ready to be requeened.. provided the package queen is not superseded with the first eggs she lays..
   Practice making queens, and doing splits. Figure out how to overwinter nucs.. Nucs will be your bread and butter, not just to sell, but to replace the colonies that you lose during winter...   Look up Michael Palmers Sustainable Apiary Vid on you tube, it is an Excellent video.

[rookie2531]

Look up Michael Palmers Sustainable Apiary Vid on you tube, it is an Excellent video.

I have seen the video of his speech when he was in England. Is that the video you are speaking of?

[jalentour]

Thanks OldMech, that's why I come to this site.

[OldMech]

Look up Michael Palmers Sustainable Apiary Vid on you tube, it is an Excellent video.

I have seen the video of his speech when he was in England. Is that the video you are speaking of?

   Yes it is..  I think it has three parts.. Wintering bees in the frozen north or something similar is another part of his talk there, and i do not recall the third part...   All excellent and filled with good information.