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luk_lak Guard Bee

Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Posts: 88 Location: Poznań, Poland
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:31 am Post subject: Is it a good time to get nucleus now? |
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Hello all,
I have an opportunity to purchase a nuc now. Is it still a good time? Will the bees have enough time to build stores for winter? When is the end of nectar/pollen season?
If it is possible under some cirmumstances what they may be? I'm thinking of number of bees, number of comb stores ect.
Thank you in advance for all answers |
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Smorning Foraging Bee
Joined: 20 Aug 2013 Posts: 152 Location: Faversham Kent UK
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Earlier is better the best nucs are those over wintered that are usually sold in early spring. The nucs for sale now are from splits mainly and can be viable but you need to keep an eye on them and feed them to build them up for the winter. |
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luk_lak Guard Bee

Joined: 06 Dec 2013 Posts: 88 Location: Poznań, Poland
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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Beekeeper said that because I have top bar he can only offer me a "package" - so bunch of bees + queen in a box. And I'll have to feed them till winter so they can build up stores and comb. And those are the things I do not want to do. |
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Ed the Beek House Bee
Joined: 11 Jun 2014 Posts: 12 Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2014 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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I have just installed a Nuc into a HTBH, bought the Nuc 10 days ago, 4 days later did a crop and chop to fit the frames into the HTBH. The bees seem to be very busy doing what they should, bringing back nectar and pollen. I think you have more of a chance with a Nuc than a package as the bees are established and already raising brood, if you don't think they have enough stores by autumn then you can still feed them. Personally I don't like the idea of feeding the bees but it all depends on the nectar flow in your area. |
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Paul Reyes Nurse Bee
Joined: 14 Aug 2014 Posts: 26 Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
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Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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The best time to buy nucs is spring time. |
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Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
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Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
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