Saturday, April 26, 2025

Adding Nuclear Hives and Trapping Bees

These are “nucs” or nuclear hives, each containing five frames. The hive on the left has a jar fitted into the top hole, which can be filled with sugar water to help a small colony like this get through the winter.  The cap in the upside jar has 3-4 small slits through which the bees can access the sugar water solution.

With luck, I hope to trap back the bee colony that swarmed off last year to take up residence in my neighbor’s locust tree. Attractants include ready-made wax, lemon oil scent, and Nasarov, a pheromone bee attractant.

I have three other hives going right now — two 10-frame hives and an occupied Nuc.  I will be adding another 10-frame hive later this week, which will probably be occupied by the bees in the occupied Nuc when they fill their second 5-frame box.

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