Transferring my Nuc to a full Hive

[Beecottagelisa]

Hello! I started last year and have a poly nuc and a half as they were late summer but very busy and a bit crowded going into autumn so added the small super. I am in North West UK and the weather is fluctuating wildly but they are very active on warm days and I have bought a full hive to transfer them into.
My question is when? I have looked up online but the answers vary quite wildly - I don't want to risk them swarming, but also don't want them to risk losing heat at this point.
Any suggestions please?

 

[Swarm]

I would do it on the next fine day. The problem you are going to have is those six shallow upper frames and what to do about them. They no doubt have brood in them and putting them into your hive with the other frames will mean the bees will draw comb from the bottom of these frames. Possibly consider putting them in a super above a queen excluder and directly above the brood frames below and fill up with foundation frames. Make sure the queen is in the bottom box. It's not ideal as they are getting a lot of extra space quite quickly but it will prevent all the wild comb and the super will soon be free of brood.

 

[ericbeaumont]

don't want to risk them swarming, but also don't want them to risk losing heat at this point

Lancashire has 12C for a week, but the peak will be noon to mid-pm. Don't worry too much about a situation which cannot be delayed further, but prepare & position the kit so that the transfer is smooth.

 

[Sutty]

If you are worried about expanding the space too much too soon you could make up a few fat dummy boards eg with blocks of Kingspan with edges covered in aluminium tape (bees chew the foam) to take up some of excess room.

 

[Beecottagelisa]

I would do it on the next fine day. The problem you are going to have is those six shallow upper frames and what to do about them. They no doubt have brood in them and putting them into your hive with the other frames will mean the bees will draw comb from the bottom of these frames. Possibly consider putting them in a super above a queen excluder and directly above the brood frames below and fill up with foundation frames. Make sure the queen is in the bottom box. It's not ideal as they are getting a lot of extra space quite quickly but it will prevent all the wild comb and the super will soon be free of brood.

Thanks Steve - I've yet to spot the Queen lol so that will be a challenge when I move them Re putting the shallow frames with brood in the super - I am assuming the bees will sort that out so I can replace with deeper frames once the brood has been hatched and the Queen isn't up there to replace?

 

[Sutty]

You could shake all the bees off the super frames and box into the new brood chamber so you know the queen isn't in the super when you put the queen excluder on. No need to find her. If there is drone brood in the super they will be trapped so at ne next inspection takes the crown board off the super for a few minutes to let them escape.

 

[Swarm]

Put the deep frames in the brood box then an excluder over them and put the shallow frames of brood above the the excluder but over the brood below to keep the nest together so to speak. The brood will soon emerge leaving the frames to be used for honey.
If you can't find the queen you can make sure she is below by shaking the bees off the shallow frames into the brood box. Then add your extra frames outside the combs.

 

[John stockburn]

Thanks Steve - I've yet to spot the Queen lol so that will be a challenge when I move them Re putting the shallow frames with brood in the super - I am assuming the bees will sort that out so I can replace with deeper frames once the brood has been hatched and the Queen isn't up there to replace?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hello! I started last year and have a poly nuc and a half as they were late summer but very busy and a bit crowded going into autumn so added the small super. I am in North West UK and the weather is fluctuating wildly but they are very active on warm days and I have bought a full hive to transfer them into.
My question is when? I have looked up online but the answers vary quite wildly - I don't want to risk them swarming, but also don't want them to risk losing heat at this point.
Any suggestions please?

wait until you have four to five frames of brood before transferring them

 

[enrico]

Another tip is to go back in in four days. Whichever box has eggs has the queen in. If it is the brood box all is good, if it is the box above the brood then she will be much easier to find now. Saves shaking bees which can be quite difficult for a beginner.