Installing your 1st Nuc / Package
Installing your 1st Nuc
Conditions: Wait for a warm day but not too long (swarming, starvation risk)
•Prepare all your hive equipment in advanced
•Place Nuc box in location where it will be located (i.e. on top of empty hive)
•When weather permits install nuc by removing 4-5 middle frames
•Place Nuc frames in the same direction and orientation to avoid disturbing the brood nest
•Packages are installed in a similar way – middle frames removed, queen cage is put to the side, remove sugar syrup can and shake bees into middle gap. The queen can now be introduced as per normal procedure
•Start feeding the new hive immediately 1:1 sugar syrup and provide them with a pollen patty
Place nuc box in location where hive will be located
Remove entrance plug if nuc box will not be installed right away. Depending on weather nuc may need to be re-plug in the evening (bees are back) and be kept in a warm / cool location
When ready move hive into position and place nuc to the side (foraging bees will go to new hive location)
Remove the lid (nailed or screwed on)
Locate the queen if not already introduced and place her to the side
Loosen the frames in the nuc box - normally they will be placed in the new hive in the same order and direction
Transfer frames over - typically 1 honey / pollen frame, 2 brood frames, 1 empty drawn frame
Uncork queen cage (use marshmallow if candy not holding in place, place queen cage between the 2 middle frames and follow normal queen introduction steps
Leave the nuc box leaning towards your entrance - the bees will enter the new hive (No need to shake them out)
Fill feeder and add pollen patty to top bars
•Remember to make sugar syrup and thaw out a pollen patty
•Take your time and don’t rush it
•Be gentle and move slowly
•If you can’t find the queen, don’t worry
•Practice your first bee shake (sharp shake-stop movement onto top of hive)
•You can leave the stubborn bees in the nuc box with the side leaning towards the hive entrance