Author Topic: Mini Mating nucs  (Read 13142 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Yankee11

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1412
  • Thanked: 27 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Central Arkansas
Mini Mating nucs
« on: March 07, 2015, 11:46:21 pm »
Well, got 12 of them made, also made mini frames to go in the mini mating nucs.

Gonna try them along with the queens castles.







Offline LazyBkpr

  • Gold Member
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #1 on: March 08, 2015, 12:49:36 am »
You do WICKED nice work..

   I have seen those, and considered them, but apparently lack the vision I need to see them in a light that would make them useful..
   When I put a queen in a nuc and get her mated, she usually STAYS in that nuc until i combine it with a hive that needs a queen, sell it, Sell the queen, or decide to overwinter her in that nuc.

   so,, question;   What do you do with her once mated?  Is it possible to leave her in that little thing until you need her or sell her? 
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Yankee11

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1412
  • Thanked: 27 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Central Arkansas
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2015, 01:12:28 am »
I doubt it.

I am just gonna use these to get them mated. Once mated successfully I will do something with them. I just wanted a way to get queens mated and returned before going to the trouble of making up the nuc and her not returning. Once she returns and I see eggs, then I can make up a nuke. If she does not return then I just dump the 2 cups of bees back into a hive.

I also thought if I find some queen cells in a hive, I could just cut them out and put the cell in one of these and put a couple cups of bees in with it, easy and quick.

Right now I have 20 nuc boxes and and 20 queen castle bays, plan on trying to raise a lot of queens this year. I'll use all 3 methods.

I also wonder if one of these mini nucs would be good to have in the truck or one in each out yard. Run across a queen cell, cut it out and drop it in the mini nuc with bees and come back in couple weeks and check. We'll see.

Offline tefer2

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 434
  • Thanked: 18 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Kalamazoo,MI.
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2015, 09:18:56 am »
Yankee, one thing that I found on using swarm cells.
They are normally found hanging down at the bottom of the frame.
They normally get smashed using standard depth boxes.
We used to make our nuc boxes deeper so they have room to hang down.

At the end of the year, I got tried of looking at the stack of empty nucs piled into corner.
So, I now try to use my standard boxes to do my queen rearing.
I place inserts or frame feeders in them to make smaller compartments.
So now, they can be used for nucs or for a regular size hive.

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Gold Member
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #4 on: March 08, 2015, 09:57:07 am »
I am interested to see how it goes.. are you putting foundation in those frames?  How will you feed to get them drawn out?  I imagine once drawn out it will be easier, but was thinking about it last night..
   Just cant wrap my head around it..   Need some detailed imagery and Yankee descriptions.. as I said, I am looking forward to seeing how this works!!
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Yankee11

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1412
  • Thanked: 27 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Central Arkansas
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #5 on: March 08, 2015, 10:26:30 am »
Im going to feed them with jar feeders on top covers.

As far as foundation. Im going to put foundation in some frames and starter strips in some.

I had this idea last night. I may go ahead and cut my foundation the right size to fit these mini frames. Put them in a regular medium frame and just tack the frame together, no glue. Put that frame in a regular hive and let them draw the comb. Thdn remove the frame take it apart and then put the foundation in these mini frames. Already drawn.

Offline G3farms

  • Bee Wrangler
  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1724
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Concord, TN
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2015, 12:44:13 pm »
I made some three frame minis based on the DCoates nuc boxes, three half frame deeps.

Took a deep frame and cut the top and bottom bars in half. These were wedge top split bottom.

Made these last year and took two of the frames and put them together with a strip of wood in between them, added a cut down piece of foundation and put them in a hive for them to pull out. I also had quite a bit of cut out combs left over, cut them to fit in side the frames. Took and cut the cells down to the "spine" of the comb, then placed the spine under the wedge and tacked it in place.

I will hunt up some pics of the comb that is in the hives from last year.
Bees are bees and do as they please!

.... --- -   -... . . ...   .-- .. .-.. .-..   .... .- ...- .   -.-- --- ..-   ... - . .--. .--. .. -. --.   .- -. -..   ..-. . - -.-. .... .. -. --.   .-.. .. -.- .   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .... . .- -..   .. ...   --- -.   ..-. .. .-. .   .- -. -..   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .- ... ...   .. ...   -.-. .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6122
  • Thanked: 405 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2015, 07:16:03 pm »
I have used them, and am helping a guy get started now. We just tacked a 3/4 X 3/4 strip across the center of a medium and put 20 half frames in it. They are on 10 frame hives being drawn out now.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline tefer2

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 434
  • Thanked: 18 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Kalamazoo,MI.
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2015, 08:27:05 pm »
Take a stroll around Velberts site and see what he is using for mini nucs.
He's in your neck of the woods and has good luck with them.
http://www.vlwbeequeens.com/home.htm

Offline Yankee11

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1412
  • Thanked: 27 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Central Arkansas
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2015, 08:43:36 pm »
Iddee,

That's exactly what my buddy and I talked about today. Putting a divider down center of a medium box and putting 20 of these mini frames and sitting it on a hive and let them draw out the mini frames.

Offline G3farms

  • Bee Wrangler
  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1724
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Concord, TN
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2015, 03:02:09 pm »
the mini frames

Bees are bees and do as they please!

.... --- -   -... . . ...   .-- .. .-.. .-..   .... .- ...- .   -.-- --- ..-   ... - . .--. .--. .. -. --.   .- -. -..   ..-. . - -.-. .... .. -. --.   .-.. .. -.- .   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .... . .- -..   .. ...   --- -.   ..-. .. .-. .   .- -. -..   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .- ... ...   .. ...   -.-. .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

Offline G3farms

  • Bee Wrangler
  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1724
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Concord, TN
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2015, 03:04:53 pm »
two frames put together, I like it this way because it can be interchanged with a single deep frame, no center bar to contend with. I did have to wire some of them together on the bottom, note the two nails in the ears on the top bar.


Bees are bees and do as they please!

.... --- -   -... . . ...   .-- .. .-.. .-..   .... .- ...- .   -.-- --- ..-   ... - . .--. .--. .. -. --.   .- -. -..   ..-. . - -.-. .... .. -. --.   .-.. .. -.- .   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .... . .- -..   .. ...   --- -.   ..-. .. .-. .   .- -. -..   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .- ... ...   .. ...   -.-. .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

Offline Yankee11

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1412
  • Thanked: 27 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Central Arkansas
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2015, 06:22:18 pm »
So G3,

How do you separate to put the mini's into a mini mating nuc. Just pull from nails in the tabs?

That would eliminate having to have seperate supers to get them drawn.

Iddee,

Your bees pulling comb right now?

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6122
  • Thanked: 405 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2015, 06:53:33 pm »
Not 100% sure. Just put them on Sunday because they were bringing in pollen and nectar and/or sugar water full speed.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline G3farms

  • Bee Wrangler
  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1724
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Concord, TN
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2015, 09:45:41 pm »
Just pull them apart and the nail will pull right out of the end grain of that 3/4" plywood.

Best I could come up with to be able to slip a couple of them into a booming hive.

Hobbled down to the garage to get this mini and frames.....whew...enjoy!






I did not see my cut sheet but think I got 14 out of a 4 x 8 sheet of 1/2" plywood.
Bees are bees and do as they please!

.... --- -   -... . . ...   .-- .. .-.. .-..   .... .- ...- .   -.-- --- ..-   ... - . .--. .--. .. -. --.   .- -. -..   ..-. . - -.-. .... .. -. --.   .-.. .. -.- .   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .... . .- -..   .. ...   --- -.   ..-. .. .-. .   .- -. -..   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .- ... ...   .. ...   -.-. .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Gold Member
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #15 on: March 09, 2015, 11:33:50 pm »
Hobbled down to the garage to get this mini and frames.....whew...enjoy!
   Now, did your wife give you permission to DO something G?
   Your gonna be back in the hospital with a swollen eye like Perry has in another thread if you dont behave!     :laugh:

   Those look pretty good, this gets more interesting all the time!
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Yankee11

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1412
  • Thanked: 27 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Central Arkansas
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #16 on: March 09, 2015, 11:35:00 pm »
Thank for showing those G3.

I renamed mine from Mini Mating Nucs to Honeyton Farms Honeymoon Cottages.  ;)

Did yours work good. I can't wait to try them out. Got them together tonight. I made 12 from 2, 1x8x16. Total cost was 25 bucks for 12. Still have to make the tops though.




Offline LazyBkpr

  • Gold Member
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #17 on: March 09, 2015, 11:40:04 pm »
What? No finger joints??    :o

   So your going to make up for that by making inner covers and tele covers WITH metal on them right?   :)
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Yankee11

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1412
  • Thanked: 27 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Central Arkansas
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2015, 11:46:53 pm »
Lol, I did almost rabbit the fronts and backs.

Come on man, join us, mating queens on the cheap.

Offline Zweefer

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1816
  • Thanked: 161 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Eau Claire WI
Re: Mini Mating nucs
« Reply #19 on: March 09, 2015, 11:58:23 pm »
Even I want to succumb to the peer pressure. Maybe in a few years....
Keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.
Henry David Thoreau