# Question on combining nuc with larger hive



## gcolbert (Nov 21, 2017)

I may have to do a combine of a five frame NUC into a larger hive (two deeps and a medium) to facilitate late queen replacement. I have a piece of plywood that fits the top of the 8 frame hive with a cutout that will seal up the nuc at the bottom. A couple of pieces of newspaper and a couple of days and the nuc should merge with the 8 frame hive.

My question is how do I clean up the mess of having a five frame box sitting on plywood on the top of an eight frame hive??

What I mean is, how do I get the bees out of the five frame box so I can get the regular top on the hive? Do I just set the five frame box on its side at the front of the hive? Do I have to give the 'combined' hive time for the five frame bees to orient to their new hive first? What do I do about the resources and brood in the five frame box? Am I better off putting these five frames in another deep on top of the hive with three frames of foundation?


Glen


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

gcolbert said:


> Am I better off putting these five frames in another deep on top of the hive with three frames of foundation?


that's what i would do, except i would pull one drawn frame up from the bottom box and let the foundation frames all be on the very outsides.


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## Murdock (Jun 16, 2013)

I agree with squarepeg. The frame you pull up will keep bees in the center of the upper box.


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## gcolbert (Nov 21, 2017)

What I finally did was to change locations of the nuc and one of my strong hives. That got the emergency queen to kick into gear. That almost immediately built up the number of bees in the nuc and they got serious about getting ready for winter. Looking at the nuc now (5X5) it is fully loaded with bees (January) and they look to have good reserves to get them to Valentines Day when I plan to start feeding them.


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## squarepeg (Jul 9, 2010)

good job.


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## Knisely (Oct 26, 2013)

Nice!


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

When I have a queenless colony or a dink I make queenless, I take five frames with no brood out of the hive I am boosting right in the middle. I generously dust the frames on the sides of the created space and all top bars. Then I rapidly put the nuc in the middle and liberally dust the top bars and close up. shake off the frames you pulled on the entrance and pick up your stuff and move on. If the unit was a double, powder the top bars below.


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## gcolbert (Nov 21, 2017)

Vance, by 'dust' do you mean dusting with powdered sugar?


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## Vance G (Jan 6, 2011)

The senile old man did neglect to say powdered sugar I see! Liberally sprinkle on powdered sugar. The bees in the process of cleaning each other, get to have too much in common to fight.


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