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| {{Short description|Small honey bee colony}} | |||
| {{for|uses of the three-letter abbreviation|NUC}} | |||
| {{other uses|NUC (disambiguation)}} | |||
| {{ |
{{More citations needed|date=April 2008}} | ||
| '''Nucs''', or Nucleus Colonies, are small honey bee colonies created from larger colonies. The term refers both to the smaller size box and the colony of ]s within it. | |||
| ] | |||
| A '''nuc''', or '''nucleus colony''', is a small honey bee colony created from larger colonies, packages, or captured swarms. A nuc hive is centered on a ], the nucleus of the honey bee colony. | |||
| ==Layout== | == Layout == | ||
| A nuc hive has all the features of a standard 10 frame ] except |
A nuc hive has all the features of a standard 10 frame ], except for a reduced width. A typical nuc has 5 Langstroth frames arranged side-by-side. | ||
| Nucs can also be created using other hive dimensions, with the British modified national hive being the most common in the United Kingdom. According to FERA's (Food and Environment Research Agency) National Bee Unit guidelines, the nucleus should be between 3–6 frames of bees, including a queen, workers, brood in all stages, and honey stores.<ref> {{dead link|date=April 2023}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| ⚫ | The nuc box, also called a nuc, is a smaller version of a normal ], designed to hold fewer frames. |
||
| The nuc box is smaller because it is intented to contain a smaller number of ]s, and a smaller space makes it easier for the ] to control the temperature and humidity of the colony, which is vital for brood rearing. When using a Langstroth hive, a nuc is created by pulling two to five ] from an existing colony. These frames and the nurse ] clinging to them form the basis for the nuc colony. | |||
| ⚫ | == Creation == | ||
| ⚫ | A nuc may or may not be given a queen at the time it is created. |
||
| ⚫ | The nuc box, also called a nuc, is a smaller version of a normal ], designed to hold fewer frames. | ||
| ⚫ | If the nuc does not contain a queen or queen-cell, but does contain eggs, the workers will create a new queen from one of the eggs. |
||
| A smaller space makes it easier for the ] to control the temperature and humidity of the colony, which is vital for brood rearing. When using a Langstroth hive, a nuc is created by pulling two to five ] from an existing colony. These frames and the nurse ] clinging to them form the basis for the nuc colony. | |||
| ⚫ | Nucs are often used to prevent swarming in a larger colony |
||
| ⚫ | A nuc may or may not be given a queen at the time it is created. | ||
| ⚫ | == Care and feeding == | ||
| ⚫ | If the nuc does not contain a queen or queen-cell, but does contain eggs, the workers will create a new queen from one of the eggs. | ||
| ⚫ | A nuc is extremely vulnerable, as it possesses in some cases less than a tenth of the workers in a normal colony. |
||
| If the nuc is to be given a new queen, the queen will be introduced to the colony in her queen cage. This happens either at the time the nuc is split from the main colony, or after a period of queenlessness, which increases the likelihood that the new queen will be accepted. | |||
| ⚫ | Nucs are almost always fed using a boardman feeder or frame feeder. |
||
| ⚫ | Feeding allows the worker ] to remain in the nuc, acting as nurse ] for developing brood. |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | The bees from a robbing hive will kill any bees that defend the nuc. | ||
| ⚫ | Robbing can lead to starvation in days. | ||
| == Uses == | == Uses == | ||
| ⚫ | Nucs are often used to prevent swarming in a larger colony by removing frames with queen-cells, and using the new queens to artificially create a new colony. The removal of queen cells and reduction in population in the donor colony diminish the urge to swarm. This procedure may also be called a “walk-away split.” | ||
| A nucleus colony can be used to prevent overcrowding in a larger, healthy colony by splitting some of the population off to a new colony. | |||
| A nuc can also be used to care for spare queens. | |||
| The loss of a queen in a large colony can set the colony back by up to a month. |
A nuc also can be used to care for spare queens. | ||
| The loss of a queen in a large colony can set the colony back by up to a month. | |||
| A nucleus colony can be combined with the larger colony to re-queen it with a much smaller break in brood rearing. | A nucleus colony can be combined with the larger colony to re-queen it with a much smaller break in brood rearing. | ||
| A nuc can also grow into a full sized colony, given proper time, favorable weather, and appropriate resources. | |||
| The terms 'nuc' and 'split' are not strictly interchangeable. | The terms 'nuc' and 'split' are not strictly interchangeable. | ||
| While a nuc may have a number of different uses, a split more often refers to dividing a colony for the purposes of growing the removed bees back to a full |
While a nuc may have a number of different uses, a split more often refers to dividing a colony for the purposes of growing the removed bees back to a full-sized colony. | ||
| A nuc is not |
A nuc normally is not intended for overwintering, as nuc colonies do not possess large enough ]s to survive winter in harsher climates. | ||
| ]s often combine nucs |
]s often combine nucs in the fall to produce a single, strong colony. | ||
| This |
This does result in the loss of all but one queen, but provides a colony capable of surviving winter. | ||
| ⚫ | Nucs also can survive winter indoors, or in an observation hive. | ||
| In warm climates, nucs can overwinter. | |||
| ⚫ | Nucs |
||
| ⚫ | == Care and feeding == | ||
| ⚫ | A nuc is extremely vulnerable, as it possesses, in some cases, less than a tenth of the workers in a normal colony. | ||
| ⚫ | Nucs are almost always fed using a boardman feeder or frame feeder. | ||
| ⚫ | Feeding allows the worker ] to remain in the nuc, acting as nurse ] for developing brood. | ||
| ⚫ | Due to their small population, nucs are vulnerable to robbing, in which a stronger hive steals all the nectar, honey, or syrup, from a weaker hive. | ||
| ⚫ | The bees from a robbing hive will kill any bees that defend the nuc. | ||
| ⚫ | Robbing can lead to starvation in days. | ||
| == Mating nucs == | == Mating nucs == | ||
| Mating nucs are a special type of nuc that may be even smaller than nucs that use standard size frames. |
Mating nucs are a special type of nuc that may be even smaller than nucs that use standard size frames. | ||
| These |
These are sometimes called mini-mating nucs. | ||
| Mating nucs are used in a queen ]. |
Mating nucs are used in a queen ]. | ||
| A capped ] is put into a mating nuc together with a sufficient number of attendant ]s. | A capped ] is put into a mating nuc together with a sufficient number of attendant ]s. | ||
| When the ] emerges and matures (a process that takes around five to seven days from the point at which she emerges), she flies out and mates with up to 20 ] before returning to the mating nuc. | When the ] emerges and matures (a process that takes around five to seven days from the point at which she emerges), she flies out and mates with up to 20 ] before returning to the mating nuc. | ||
| When mating is successful a nice brood pattern can be seen on the frames of the mating nuc. | When mating is successful a nice brood pattern can be seen on the frames of the mating nuc. | ||
| Successfully mated queens are caged and shipped to be used as production queens by beekeepers. |
Successfully mated queens are caged and shipped to be used as production queens by beekeepers. | ||
| Queen breeders raise thousands of queens in this fashion. | Queen breeders raise thousands of queens in this fashion. | ||
| == |
== References == | ||
| <references /> | |||
| ⚫ | * | ||
| == External links == | |||
| * Wintering nucs | |||
| * Uses of Nuclei | |||
| * Dave Cushman site 2 Frame Nuc | |||
| ⚫ | * | ||
| * | |||
| ] | ] | ||
Latest revision as of 04:14, 23 September 2023
Small honey bee colony For other uses, see NUC (disambiguation). | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Nuc" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
A nuc, or nucleus colony, is a small honey bee colony created from larger colonies, packages, or captured swarms. A nuc hive is centered on a queen bee, the nucleus of the honey bee colony.
Layout
A nuc hive has all the features of a standard 10 frame Langstroth hive, except for a reduced width. A typical nuc has 5 Langstroth frames arranged side-by-side.
Nucs can also be created using other hive dimensions, with the British modified national hive being the most common in the United Kingdom. According to FERA's (Food and Environment Research Agency) National Bee Unit guidelines, the nucleus should be between 3–6 frames of bees, including a queen, workers, brood in all stages, and honey stores.
Creation
The nuc box, also called a nuc, is a smaller version of a normal beehive, designed to hold fewer frames. 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, a nuc is created by pulling two to five frames from an existing colony. These frames and the nurse bees clinging to them form the basis for the nuc colony.
A nuc may or may not be given a queen at the time it is created. If the nuc does not contain a queen or queen-cell, but does contain eggs, the workers will create a new queen from one of the eggs. If the nuc is to be given a new queen, the queen will be introduced to the colony in her queen cage. This happens either at the time the nuc is split from the main colony, or after a period of queenlessness, which increases the likelihood that the new queen will be accepted.
Uses
Nucs are often used to prevent swarming in a larger colony by removing frames with queen-cells, and using the new queens to artificially create a new colony. The removal of queen cells and reduction in population in the donor colony diminish the urge to swarm. This procedure may also be called a “walk-away split.”
A nuc also can be used to care for spare queens. The loss of a queen in a large colony can set the colony back by up to a month. A nucleus colony can be combined with the larger colony to re-queen it with a much smaller break in brood rearing.
The terms 'nuc' and 'split' are not strictly interchangeable. While a nuc may have a number of different uses, a split more often refers to dividing a colony for the purposes of growing the removed bees back to a full-sized colony.
A nuc normally is not intended for overwintering, as nuc colonies do not possess large enough winter clusters to survive winter in harsher climates. Beekeepers often combine nucs in the fall to produce a single, strong colony. This does result in the loss of all but one queen, but provides a colony capable of surviving winter. Nucs also can survive winter indoors, or in an observation hive.
Care and feeding
A nuc is extremely vulnerable, as it possesses, in some cases, less than a tenth of the workers in a normal colony.
Nucs are almost always fed using a boardman feeder or frame feeder. Feeding allows the worker bees to remain in the nuc, acting as nurse bees for developing brood. Due to their small population, nucs are vulnerable to robbing, in which a stronger hive steals all the nectar, honey, or syrup, from a weaker hive. The bees from a robbing hive will kill any bees that defend the nuc. Robbing can lead to starvation in days.
Mating nucs
Mating nucs are a special type of nuc that may be even smaller than nucs that use standard size frames. These are sometimes called mini-mating nucs. Mating nucs are used in a queen mating yard. A capped queen cell is put into a mating nuc together with a sufficient number of attendant worker bees. When the virgin queen emerges and matures (a process that takes around five to seven days from the point at which she emerges), she flies out and mates with up to 20 drones before returning to the mating nuc. When mating is successful a nice brood pattern can be seen on the frames of the mating nuc. Successfully mated queens are caged and shipped to be used as production queens by beekeepers. Queen breeders raise thousands of queens in this fashion.
References
External links
- Wintering Nuclei Wintering nucs
- Uses for nuclei Uses of Nuclei
- Two Frame Nucleus Dave Cushman site 2 Frame Nuc
- More about Nucs from Bush Bees
- Billy Davis Nuc Presentation