NUCLEUS BOX
SMALL COLONIES OF BEES ARE OFTEN KPET IN HOMEMADE BOXES THAT HOLD THREE, FOUR OR FIVE STANDARD LANGSTROTH FRAMES AND ARE CALLED NUC BOXES. NO SPECAIL DESIGNS OR CONSIDERATIONS ARE PREFFERED EXCEPT THAT IT IS CERTAINLY BETTER TO USE ONLY BOXES THAT WILL HOLD STANDARD FRAMES. SUCH BOXES MAY HAVE A HANDLE FOR CARRYING. A METHOD OF REDUCING THE ENTRANCE IS HELPFUL SINCE SMALL COLONIES ARE EASILY ROBBED BY OTHER BEES. NUC BOXES ARE USED FOR A VIRIETY OF PURPOSES SUCH AS COLLECTION SWARMS, QUEEN STORAGE AND SOMETIMES AS MATING NUCS. QUEEN BREEDERS USUALLY USEBABY NUC BOXES FOR MATING BOXES SINCE FEW BEES ARE NEEDED.
Uniting Colonies And Nuclei:
IT IS OFTEN DESIRABLE TO UNITE COLONIES OF BEES THAT MIGHT NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE A WINTER OR OTHER ADVERSE CONDITIONS. A TIME PROVEN METHOD OF UNITING TWO OR MORE COLONIES , USED UNIVERSALLY BY BEEKEEPERS AT ANY TIME OF YEAR, IS TO PLACE ONE BROOD CHAMBER WITH A SINGLE SHEET OF NEWSPAPER BETWEEN THE UNITS. BY THE TIME THE NEWSPAPER HAS BEEN CHEWED AWAY BY THE BEES THERE HAS BEEN SUFFICIENT MINGLING OF COLONY ODORS THAT THE BEES ACCEPT ONE ANOTHER AND THERE IS LITTLE FIGHTING. THREE OR FOUR SLITS, EACH SIX TO TEN INCHES LONG , CAN BE CUT IN THE PAPER TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE VENTILATION AND TO HELP THE BEES START TO CHEW AWAY THE PAPER. THE UPPER COLONY MAY OR MAY NOT BE GIVEN AN ENTRANCE. THE STRONGER COLONY IS PLACED ON THE BOTTOM , THE WEAKER ONE ON TOP. WHEN UNITING COLONIES IT IS BEST TO FIND AND REMOVE THE QUEEN FROM THE WEAKER HIVE.
PERHAPS ONE OF THE CHEIF PROBLEMS IN UNITING COLONIES IS THAT SOME BROOD MAY BE CHILLED IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH BEES TO COVER IT. FOR THIS REASON IT IS IMPORTANT TO COMBINE COLONIES WHEN THE BEES HAVE TIME TO REARRANGE THEIR BROODNEST AREA AND HONEY STORES.
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