Overwintered Nucs
Friday, May 1, 2020 - 8:00pm - 9:30pm
Spring Nucs
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 8:00pm - 9:30pm
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - 8:00pm - 9:30pm
You can pick up spring nucs either evening, no need to let us know when you're coming.
The reason the pick up times are after dark is because these colonies have foragers that will be out flying during the day and we want to be sure you get all your workforce.
We want to assure you that there will be no personal contact when picking up your bees. We’ll have a drive through system that will allow you to load your bees in your vehicle without contact from our staff. We will not be available for any questions during pickup time.
Bring your bee brush. There might be a bee or two on your nuc and you can brush them off before loading them in your car. We suggest you do not put bees in the trunk of your car. They can overheat and die without fresh cool air.
The following are a few tips we think you might consider as you install your nucleus colony.
Every nuc has been inspected by us and is in good condition when we give them to you. If you have any concerns or questions please let us know. Bees need lots of cool fresh air on the ride home. This is very important!
When you get home, we suggest putting the nuc outside on top of the hive you plan to put them in, facing the same direction and popping open the entrance plug. This might require a hive tool. Wear you veil when you do this and install your bees in the morning. Do not install the bees at night. You’ll look like a bear to them and they will treat you like one.
The lid to your spring nuc box is screwed down for transport. You will need a Phillips head screwdriver to open it.
Your bees have been on the road for a while before you get them and sometimes bees do weird things when you transport them so give your bees a chance to settle in. Your queen may have stopped laying briefly, so if you don’t see eggs, try not to freak out, she should resume laying in a couple days.
The frames in your nuc may have burr comb on the bottom. Feel free to scrape it off or not. If you choose to scrap it off, it might fit better in your hive body.
Your nuc may or may not have a partial frame with foundation. It’s for expansion room so they don’t want to swarm and some bees build it out faster than others.
Your spring nuc may come with a two gallon frame feeder with solid candy in it, it’s just a snack for the road. Do not install it with the bees.
There is no need to return the box. In fact the spring nuc boxes makes a great swarm trap. Hike it up to about 10 - 15 feet facing south and see what moves in.
Your nuc will want to swarm soon if it’s not managed carefully. Be sure to occasionally move the outer frames of honey toward the edges and swap an empty frame in it’s place. This is referred to as “opening the brood nest” and will encourage your bees to build out their foundations instead of packing in nectar and becoming “honey bound”.
After the bees leave our custody we cannot guarantee their survival. Be sure to feed them if they need and thank you again, we hope you have a great beekeeping season!
Every nuc has been inspected by us and is in good condition when we give them to you. If you have any concerns or questions please let us know. Bees need lots of cool fresh air on the ride home. This is very important!
When you get home, we suggest putting the nuc outside on top of the hive you plan to put them in, facing the same direction and popping open the entrance plug. This might require a hive tool. Wear you veil when you do this and install your bees in the morning. Do not install the bees at night. You’ll look like a bear to them and they will treat you like one.
The lid to your spring nuc box is screwed down for transport. You will need a Phillips head screwdriver to open it.
Your bees have been on the road for a while before you get them and sometimes bees do weird things when you transport them so give your bees a chance to settle in. Your queen may have stopped laying briefly, so if you don’t see eggs, try not to freak out, she should resume laying in a couple days.
The frames in your nuc may have burr comb on the bottom. Feel free to scrape it off or not. If you choose to scrap it off, it might fit better in your hive body.
Your nuc may or may not have a partial frame with foundation. It’s for expansion room so they don’t want to swarm and some bees build it out faster than others.
Your spring nuc may come with a two gallon frame feeder with solid candy in it, it’s just a snack for the road. Do not install it with the bees.
There is no need to return the box. In fact the spring nuc boxes makes a great swarm trap. Hike it up to about 10 - 15 feet facing south and see what moves in.
Your nuc will want to swarm soon if it’s not managed carefully. Be sure to occasionally move the outer frames of honey toward the edges and swap an empty frame in it’s place. This is referred to as “opening the brood nest” and will encourage your bees to build out their foundations instead of packing in nectar and becoming “honey bound”.
After the bees leave our custody we cannot guarantee their survival. Be sure to feed them if they need and thank you again, we hope you have a great beekeeping season!