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Over wintered Nuc

  • 19-03-2016 6:52pm
    #1
    dto001
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 254 ✭✭


    Hi,
    Just starting off in beekeeping so excuse the ignorance, does anyone know where I can source an over wintered Nuc of Irish black bees? Appreciate any assistance.

    Cheers


Comments

  • #2
    wexfordman2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,557 ✭✭✭wexfordman2


    dto001 wrote: »
    Hi,
    Just starting off in beekeeping so excuse the ignorance, does anyone know where I can source an over wintered Nuc of Irish black bees? Appreciate any assistance.

    Cheers

    Coolmore bees perhaps ?

    Where are you based ??


  • #3
    dto001
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 254 ✭✭dto001


    I'm based in North Tipperary. I will try them. Cheers


  • #4
    Joe Brennan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 62 ✭✭Joe Brennan


    your safest bet is a nuc from your local Bee club


  • #5
    solargain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 330 ✭✭solargain


    They will be scarce this year , there will be high winter losses in some areas. Nucs will be available from July onwards for 2016 queens


  • #6
    DK man
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 458 ✭✭DK man


    Bee careful when buying bees - even from some of those bigger sellers with websites. I bought 2 'full' colonies from one such 'reputable' sellers last year.

    1 one had bees on three frames - the other had 4.5. The boxes were made of trash timber - eg roofs made from a type of chip board. Complete rip off - I just bought them as I had a oil seed rape site and thought that I'd get a decent crop of honey from them and I'd be able to sell them off later in season. I ended up merging the two as the season went on and didn't get a drop of honey out of them.

    They were bought by my local club and came delivered so I didn't want to drive all the way down to cork to return them...

    I thought I was buying quality from a reputable seller and I got ripped off with junk boxes and weak bees that just about survives the winter having been merged....


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  • #7
    DK man
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 458 ✭✭DK man


    Joe Brennan wrote: »
    your safest bet is a nuc from your local Bee club

    My first purchase o bees was an over wintered colony from a club member. They were the most unproductive and swarmyist bees I've ever had. I be no doubt they were offloaded by this member as they weren't up to much...


  • #8
    Joe Brennan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 62 ✭✭Joe Brennan


    Two sad tales who can you trust


  • #9
    Effects
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,760 ✭✭✭Effects


    My first nuc was a little like that. They built up fast but when another association member took a look at them at the end of the season he said he wouldn't be happy with their temperament. The following year they tried swarming in April! They then didn't seem to like going past the queen excluder too much!
    Another nuc I got had smaller numbers but was more productive.

    Hoping to requeen the first one this year. Again, they've built up pretty strong this year but I want to get rid of the swarming tendency.


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