# When to move swarm from nuc to super?



## fullofstingers (Sep 17, 2017)

Hi everyone, I apologize if this was covered in another thread and I'm missing it. I've recently captured a swarm (6 days ago), I've not really messed with them too much other than to move them from the middle of my yard to the bee yard. I caught them in a plastic "cardboard" 5 frame nuc box that I was saving for just such an occasion. The problem I might be having is it's in the low 90's here in southern Missouri and I think they are getting a little hot in there, it doesn't have a ton of ventilation, they've been bearding up outside the box. My question is should I go ahead and move them into a permanent super or would it be better to wait a little bit longer before I start messing with them. I had planned on moving them after 10-14 days when they had some comb drawn out. I don't really have any spare comb or brood from other hives either. Thanks, and have a great day.


----------



## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

fullo....
Welcome to the forum. I have very little experiance and so keep that in mind. I start all my swarms in medium ten frame equiptment cause I am lazy and it seems easier. My opinion of what would be best for the bees would be to maby just prop up a little shade for them and let them build in the nuc. This late in the year, the nuc is probly more then they will finnish. If you get lucky and they live, come early spring you are going to have to add space fast. Another way to cool them might be to add another nuc box on the bottom of your current nuc.

If they were mine, I would put a pretty big sugar block on them come cluster wether.

If they don't pretty much fill the nuc with comb between now and the middle of oct, I doubt they can stay warm even in the nuc. As far as cooling the hive. I have all my entrances reduced pretty good and the bees still seem to be able to cool the hives. With such a small area as a nuc, I might offer a little shade though, at least untill they get rid of the just wide open space inside the nuc by having some comb built.

I am very new and never been faced with your type of situation and so just relie on reading and what is hopefully common sence. There are smarter people then me on this site that might comment also.

I do say welcome though.
gww


----------



## fullofstingers (Sep 17, 2017)

Thank you for your reply and welcoming me to the forum. I think that might be a good idea with the shade I'll put them on the shady side of my firewood and see what happens. I've only got one other hive left (had two but I lost one last year) so I really want this one to make it through the winter otherwise I would probably combine it. It's a pretty hefty swarm 4-5 pounds or so. I'll try to pump them full of syrup and we'll see what happens. I'm not very comfortable with the 5 frame nuc but I'll read up on that and see how they work as far as winterizing and whatnot. Again thanks for the advice and the warm welcome.


----------



## Bee Havin (Mar 1, 2017)

A little more info will help. But to start, swarms are usually wax building machines. This time of year though not as much. How big was the swarm? A swarm will crowd into a box at first but if the space is cramped, they will do as you described for several reason, including the heat. If they were mine, I usually leave them about a week or so, so I think they are there to stay. What resources do you have? Hive bodies, nuc bodies, foundation or frames, other hives, any drawn comb you can steal from other hive that won't cripple the donor hive much? Depending on the swarm size, I might want to hive them in 5x5 or 5x5x5 nuc for the coming winter. Bees can move up easier in the cold than they can side to side. That's why I say a 5 over 5 nuc. You could take some resources from another hive and insert a frame of foundation in the middle of the brood so they build out a frame or two. Giving room for the queen to lay asap is a high priority for me with a swarm this time of year. Stores from other hives can also be supplemented with sugar blocks to the donor. So for me I would be shading as suggested, building my nuc boxes if I did not have them, ( at least 3) and be taking a few resources from my other hive. Then feed, feed, feed. I would probably put a robber screen on at the same time if you are not feeding the other hives at the same time. I would not be adding to the nuc any faster than they need, but it sounds like a 5x5 would be a good start. (including what ever resources I could muster.) I may not be right. This just what I would do if it was me.
GOOD LUCK!!! 
CONGRADULATIONS AND WELCOME.

I type to slow.


----------



## fullofstingers (Sep 17, 2017)

"What resources do you have? Hive bodies, nuc bodies, foundation or frames, other hives, any drawn comb you can steal from other hive that won't cripple the donor hive much?"

I've got one other hive with two deep supers on, they swarmed a few weeks ago and they're kinda weak right now (not much brood left, and they honey store was pretty low but I've been feeding them to build it back up since then) . They just made a new queen and I don't think she's started laying yet. I stole a couple of empty frames with just the wax foundation from this hive (with drawn out comb), I've got them in the freezer right now, I was planning on putting that in with the new swarm I caught but I dare not take anything else from the one hive I have left. I've got a few deep supers and medium supers all 10 frame but I'll try as you suggest and make a few 5 frame nucs and try them in that. I'll make sure they've always got feed as well. Thanks for your advice.


----------



## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

fullof....
Just suggestion. Make sure you allow the frames you froze to warm up before try to use them. I am sure you already knew this but just thought I would mention it just in case.
Good luck
gww


----------



## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Until you decide what to do cut some ventilation holes in the top of the nuke. Take a razor knife and cut three sides of a square so it creates a flap that you can close and tape when you need to. Put any type of screen over it. Leave it a half or quarter way up and tape it there so it creates some ventilation in the top of the hive but still keeps the rain out. Good luck J


----------



## Bee Havin (Mar 1, 2017)

The swarm you caught could be the resources you need for your hive that swarmed. I would look at maybe adding bees from your swarm at some point to your hive. In the mean time, I would add drawn frames from your hive to the laying swarm queen. This gives you more brood sooner and if your hive queen doesn't make it for what ever reason, you can combine at that point. It can take about 3 weeks, maybe less, for signs of a virgin queen after a swarm. I don't like to wait to much longer as all the brood that was left after the swarm has hatched and a hive may develop laying workers. 
Just throwing this out there. You can put them in a 10 deep and move them into 5 by nuc later without much problem. The reason I say this is that, it is what you have now, and you can easily add frames from your hive now without crowding. Also it will be easier to combine with your other hive latter if need be. Not saying I'm right. It's just what I would do if it was me.
GOOD LUCK!!!


----------



## fullofstingers (Sep 17, 2017)

FiveJ, I'll go ahead and do that while I'm making the wooden nuc boxes Bee Havin was talking about, looks like it's going to be in the 90's most of this week. I was going to cut a hole in that plastic nuc box so my entrance feeder will fit in there anyway. I'll see how they do in the 5 frame nuc for a couple of weeks. If it looks like either hive isn't doing so well I'll just combine them before to long. I'd like to have another hive, but one hive is better than no hives I suppose (or hive full of hive beetles). I'll go ahead and pull out some more frames that are mostly comb from my established hive and put them in with my swarm hive, sounds like a better idea the way you mention it and now that I think about it, worst case scenario I'll have at least some frames with brood on them. Thanks a ton for the advice, I really appreciate it.


----------

