Glory Downs Farm

Glory Downs Farm

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

"Ohhh Honey! It looks like we have new neighbors!"



Here is some video of the new hive installed.  I'm having some trouble uploading the video of the actual installtion process but I'll explain a little of what went on.

A nuc hive as explained by wiki;

The nuc box, also called a nuc, is a smaller version of a normal beehive, designed to hold fewer frames. The nuc box is smaller because it is intended to contain a smaller number of honeybees, and a smaller space makes it easier for the bees to control the temperature and humidity of the colony, which is vital for brood rearing. When using a Langstroth hive,(the hive you see in my pictures) a nuc is created by pulling  five frames from an existing colony. These frames and the nurse bees clinging to them form the basis for the nuc colony.

The nuc that I received is different from the first set of bee's that I got, in that, the nuc is five frames full of bee's, honey, brood in all stages, and a queen that had been introduced.  The first set of bee's (to remind you) was a set of packaged bee's.  Meaning they were delivered by mail, in a screened box, with no comb, brood, or honey.  The queen is with them but not introduced until I install her as well.

I take those five frames full of bee's, combs, honey, and brood and put those frames into the hive box.  Each hive box contains a total of five frames. So the bee's go from a small nuc box to a standard hive box.  Its that simple. Take the frames- put them into new box.

The difference with the nuc is that the bee's have the ability to build up, both in numbers, and comb rather quickly because they don't have to concentrate first and formost in building comb.  They already come with comb so their concentration can be directed in raising the brood and collecting nectar.  Since the brood comes in all stages the colony will build up rather quickly.   In my first set of bee's, the packaged ones, in coming with no brood, they have to work their tails off building comb for the brood and then wait a total of three weeks for the brood to be born.  They have a tough time and I am so impressed by their strength.

The reason why I got two different kinds of bee's installations is just to see what the difference is in colony abilities.  In the following year I plan on getting five more hives, so I would like to see if I should get all nucs or all packaged bee's next year.


All this video is of after the installtion.  The nuc box is leaning up against the hive box because bee's like to travel upwards.  What you can't see in the video is that there are a group of bee's with their behinds in the air fanning their wings.  This is to signal to the other bee's that the queen is inside and that they should come on into their new home.  By fanning their wings like that they release a pheremone that the other bee's smell.  
A question that alot of people ask is :  "Are the bee's gonna get confuse and go into each others homes?" The answer is no.  These two bee's are different races. (yes bee's have races just like we do:) ) And although they are different races they will not fight or confuse each others house.  It would be just like you coming home from work and walking into your neighbors house and making dinner. You just wouldn't do it. It doesn't smell like your house, look like your house, or have all  your belongings in it- I mean its not even your kids in the house!  Another cool fact is that bee's enjoy having hives next to each other.  It seems that production is higher when beehives are paired off........The more I learn about them the more I see God:)

Hope you enjoy this and as always ask ?'s away!

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