Nucleus for bees: what it is, types, application

Nucleus hive is a place for breeding bee mothers. It represents a small hive with frames. Fertilized mothers are placed there and kept there until the egg laying period. The nucleus hive is also used to house unfertilized queen bees so that they can be fledged later. Spare queen bees are also kept there. This helps to preserve them and later place them in the bee family. Let's consider how nucleuses for bees are made, their types and application.

Making nuclei

Such devices for breeding bee mothers differ in design. Usually a nucleus hive is a special small hive with 3-4 frames. Amateur beekeepers create designs from frames for regular hives. The nucleus hive is larger than the special model. It is divided by partitions and used to house mothers.

Nucleus hives are a temporary association of bees for brooding and retaining a queen bee. They cannot serve as a permanent home for a bee family. Once the queen has been raised and placed in the bee family, new queen bees can be placed in the nucleus or it can be used as an addition to the main family.

A bee nucleus cannot be an independent bee family because the number of bees cannot provide food and security. Therefore, the beekeeper takes care of them, feeds them, protects them from attack by foreign bees. Also nuclei in cool weather need to be heated, because there are few bees, they are not able to provide the necessary temperature inside the hive.

Types of nucleus for bees

On specialized apiaries, smaller nuclei with small frames are installed. They are designed for a smaller number of mothers. Amateur beekeepers install larger nucleus hive. This allows them to use the usual beekeeping equipment.

Nucleuses for bees are made in different ratios of frame sizes: 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/16. They come in different configurations. Frames 1/2 are made horizontal and vertical.

The most commonly used types of nucleus:

• Nesting model, size 1/4 Dadan-Blatt type.
• Multiple nucleus hive with removable blind partitions. When the mates in each partition have grown, they can be selected, one can be kept and the bees can be united. This allows them to persist until the next breeding season.
• Single plastic nuclei with three 210x100 mm wooden frames and a feeder. The strength of such a nucleus is 110 g bees.

Application of nucleus

What size and strength of the nucleus is suitable, depends on climatic conditions, species of bees. For example, in the northern Caucasus gray mountain bees are placed in a nucleus hive designed for 50 g. And in coastal areas, the same breed of bees will be placed in a nucleus hive with a capacity of up to 150 g. In this area, bees in a nucleus of lesser strength may not take root.

At first, a larger nucleus hive is installed as the main brood site for the queen bees. As the weather warms, smaller nuclei can be added. At the end of the breeding season, the smallest hives are disbanded first for the weaker bees.