gift
The Humble Soapnut - A Guide to the Laundry Detergent that Grows on Trees ebook by Kathryn Ossing
will be released to subscribers in: soon!
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Tereza Okava
  • Andrés Bernal
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden

buying bees for warre hive

 
Posts: 61
Location: southeast SD (zone 4b/5a)
2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
can i introduce a nuc to a warre hive? if not, what kind of colony package should i be looking for?
 
steward
Posts: 3706
Location: woodland, washington
211
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Al Senner wrote:can i introduce a nuc to a warre hive?



you could, but it wouldn't be a whole lot of fun. involves cutting up comb, generally while bees are still occupying it.

alternatives, in my personal order of preference:
bait a swarm directly into the hive
collect a swarm
manage Lang equipment you've already got lying around as though it were a Warre and hive a nuc
purchase package bees

the first two options have a whole lot of advantages that the second two don't. most obviously, they're roughly free and you're much more likely to end up with bees adapted both to local conditions and to surviving without much attention.
 
pollinator
Posts: 4140
Location: Kansas Zone 6a
327
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
We purchased packages. We fed lots of sugar syrup in the beginning to help them build comb fast. We put the syrup in a big chicken waterer (filled with rocks to limit drowning) away from the hives a little ways. Not the best, but better than starving. I would much rather they used sugar to make wax than they try to live on it through the winter. So far we are 4 out of 4, but the winter isn't over...

Baiting or catching a wild swarm is definitely better, although a big step for a newbie like me. I am just glad I haven't killed them already.
 
I have begun to write a book. I already have all the page numbers done! And one tiny ad:
Learn Permaculture through a little hard work
https://wheaton-labs.com/bootcamp
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic