# Mini mating nuc prototype with window



## Oldtimer (Jul 4, 2010)

Very attractive design.


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## Specialkayme (Sep 4, 2005)

I may have missed the boat on this one, but why does a mini mating nuc need a window? Or is it an attempt to be a type of observation hive?

I do like it's use as a bonsai stand . . .


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## lakebilly (Aug 3, 2009)

Very nice!

Slide show is too fast, is there a way to pause it?

The gridded frame is for feed?


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## irwin harlton (Jan 7, 2005)

This may answer your question why you would want glass in a nuc, baby nuc

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=214478441922590&set=o.43897354900&type=3&theater


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## lakebilly (Aug 3, 2009)

That was cool. 

I could modify frames to fit in 4-way mating nucs instead of making new ones.

How would you manage those being that small? what do you do w/emerging brood?

Doesn't seem like it would be well ventilated.

Lauri, how bout you make me a bunch of them for my birthday........ tomorrow? ;-P


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

WHOA! Those are really little box's, but they are the same design as a german video with the same type of box. Like a shadow box. 
I didn't like that design so much, but like the window feature.
Yes, the frame with wire is a candy or patty feeding frame.It is just left over wire from making rabbit cages. Small zip tie on the top holds it all together. 

I believe you can freeze the slideshow anytime by clicking on it. You can go to my photobucket site and look at the still pics there.

I forgot about insulating the lid, but queen rearing in my area dosn't start until May or so. 

I notice in the videos they frequently place there mini nucs in a somewhat shady spot. I have plenty of spots with eastern and southern exposure, western dappled shade.










Bracket for hanging on fence:









This is a triple nuc without window;









I tried to make one with a window cut out, but it looked like I chewed the wood cut out off with my teeth-LOL, a picture frame style was a lot easier to make.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Here are the videos of why I built it this way. I Liked the window, not sure about the shadow box style mini nuc. Interesting the different cultures have different equipment. Notice the polystyrene box's too.
And yes, the window needs to be covered. I am just thinking about a creative way to do that. Got to make a better mouse trap, don't you know? LOL
Most of my designs are created around scrap lumber I have available to me. My husband has a drawer full of these little hinges he has had for years. Why not put them to use? I will probably put a bracket or french cleat on the back for these nucs so can just hang them on the fence anywhere I want. 

Video #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZlQ7mNmf6o&feature=related

Video #2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVwAiUJ4fdQ&feature=related

Video #3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3lLihcBHkQ&feature=related

video #4 (that shows the mating nuc types)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV-3Bz7TNlU&feature=related


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Here is another video you will like-really different!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA5pY8hOEj4&feature=youtu.be


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## lakebilly (Aug 3, 2009)

I found this vid cpl yrs ago. I've watched it 3-4 times. I will watch it again & again.

Vid#4 love to have the dimensions,plans for the frame & recipe for candy. Great post!

It occurred to me that you could take a frame of eggs from these mating nucs & put them in a queenless cell builder.


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## lakebilly (Aug 3, 2009)

interesting.

Frugal & resourceful. how bout the dual duty pipe smoker.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

So heres what I came up with to block the window. More of the same foam board I used under the nuc. Black this time. It's cheap, easy to cut with straight edge and razor knife, weather proof and easy to remove and replace. Maybe put a sticker on it to mark it as mated.
You could use white instead of black and just write your notes on it.
Bonsai on top is keeping the 3/4" x12" cedar top cover plank from cupping until it dries.


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## BeeTax (Dec 27, 2011)

Very nice looking mating nuc! 

It looks like there is a lot of space under the frames. Is there a reason for that?
Also, what are the overall dimensions of the box.

Thanks,
Gary


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Hi Gary, 
Scroll down and take a look at my photos-then read my message. It will make more sence.

There is a substantial amount of room under a shallow frame, so I make the first frame next to the window, a shallow frame with grafted queen cells on the bottom of the frame. When making your shallow frame, Just reverse the bottom so the grove is facing down to recieve your cell cups.
Then the next four frames are deep mini frames (or three deep frames and a feeding frame)
Before placing these frames in the mini nuc, 
I will put these deep frames in a quad, as shown below, above an established hive to be drawn out, at least somewhat. 










I will insert the shallow frames with the queen cups for a day or so to get worked over a bit. Then graft the larva, place in a starting colony for a day, then re-insert using the cloak board system. I show five cups in this photo, but you could do any amount you want.
When the queen cells are capped I will move each cluster of four deep frames and one shallow with the queen cells from the quad into it's own seperate mini mating nuc. (This allows me to collect the nurse bees for the mating nucs without shaking them, just transfer the mini frames)

Now I can ether let the queen cells hatch naturally, leaving only one virgin queen, or protect them until they all hatch and let two virgins go in the same mini. I have found they will usually live together just fine until they are mated.(and sometimes well after) My theory is this will increase my mated return percentages from the standard 75% to around 100% (Or more if they continue to live together for a while until I can harvest them) I have had mated laying queens live together for quite some time, but in a slightly larger hive (four frame nuc with standard sized frames)
Here are some photos:
Here is a frame I used last year to cage queen cells until hatched. The largest cell was left uncovered and left to hatch naturally. I harvested two virgin queens from this frame, but one got away when I tried to collect her. Weeks later I found the original hatched queen and the second queen that got away BOTH mated and laying in this four frame nuc. It is one of the few nucs I made in very late summer that thrived and is still in good condition as of mid winter.










Deep frame on the bottom and shallow frame with cells and roller cages-you can see I have just enough room for these.










Place the queen cells right in front of the window if you want to watch them hatch. (Your weather will have to be quite warm and stable if you put your queen cells away from the center of the frames) 
These nucs can be easily mounted inside a temperature controlled room with a tube leading outside. You will be able to not only view the queens hatching, but note the hatching time of each queen. (The later the queen hatches the younger the larva was you grafted which may equal, the last hatched queen as having the longest diet of pure royal jelly?)

Newly hatched virgin queens must be turned loose asap when they have all hatched and are accepted by the nurse bees. I would not turn more than two loose in this sized nuc. Since all your grafts will not take, I would suggest doing a few more than you need. You can always harvest a protected virgin queen and place her in another mating nuc.











They are 10 1/8" wide and 10 1/8" tall. 9 1/2" deep. Fits five brand new frames with about an inch to spare to allow for drawing out

Also a little disclamer -I am new to beekeeping and have made stuff before that worked great-some not so great. Although I am confident this is a good design, it has not yet been tested-so be careful about making yourself a bunch of these! LOL


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Here are some photos so you can see how these nucs are loaded. Remember they willl be drawn out:
Back-feeding frame if necessary. You can have wire on both sides, but this scrap perferated masonite works good too and keeps the frames square. You can put wax paper down on it and pour hot candy onto it and let it cool-then close up the wire side-or just slip in a patty of your choice
If the frames are drawn out they should have feed in them and the feeding frame may not be necessary:










Then three deep frames-These frames are 9 1/2" instead of the usual 9 1/8" so I marked them on one end so I can tell at a glance wich are the oversized mini frames:









Then, next to the window the shallow frame with capped queen cells










top if you want with a see through cover as the europeans do. I will be poking a few vent holes in this though. It will keep the lid from being propolised.


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## Lauri (Feb 1, 2012)

Here are the second bunch of these nucs. I used a router bit to ease the edge of the tops a bit and a sander to give a little better finish. Two coats of Spar urethane.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Ok Lauri, OK..........Since they are untested, I'll give you $50 for the lot of them!


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## BeeTax (Dec 27, 2011)

Thanks, that helps a lot. Looking at the last photo, I think it is an understatement that you are confident that they will work!

For what its worth, I think it will work too. It has been very warm here this winter. I called my mentor this afternoon and he caught a swarm today and saw two more. I have been building some boxes this evening to put some in next time he spots some.

Thanks again for sharing, and good luck.

Gary


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