# Will this split work? 2, 3-story Nucs



## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

You dont need to build a 3 story nuc for them to raise a queen, in fact it might take longer. Keep the nuc to 1 story and overcrowd they will raise a queen. Or give the queenless nuc a fresh frame of eggs and they will take it from there. But having russian bees they will want to swarm coming out of winter and you can just take the frame with the queen cell and 2 other frames and start your nuc that way too. My Russians came out of winter so aggressive they were attacking my neighbors 3 houses down. I had to break the whole hive into nucs. They may be nice and good now but things can change next season. Yes it can work. Just make sure each hive has enough honey for winter.


----------



## PepperBeeMan (Apr 27, 2016)

Well, they aren't nice now. Can't imagine what I'm gonna see in Feb lol. They follow me 100 ft to the house. They find me in the yard sometimes if I've inspected that same day & bump me. They also use that aggression on hive beetles and keeping the hive debris free. Not so much with propolis which is extremely thick. Burr comb everywhere. 

I just thought this might be a novel idea. I've seen 2 story nucs, even some 3. I figured if I divided the hive straight down the middle and gave a few more bees to the queen less hive, they eventually would be fairly even and overwinter well. 

That way I might get a crop off both next year and repeat this process except end up with 4, 3 story nucs this time next year. 4 production hives the following Spring (assuming optimistically no dead outs) all from the same line.

That would mean no mas queen $ nuc $ package $.


----------



## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

I here ya. Mine overwintered great. They ate very little. Bith hives were 3 deeps. When i opened them up in march they were completely packed with bees. At first they were nice then just like you said they followed me. They waitted for me to come out at the back door. The dog couldnt even go out. It got bad fast. I had to bite the bullet abd break them down. I sold the 2 queens in nucs to some guys that wanted them. I requeened the nucs i made to carnis. I can't have that. To aggressive. I got 9 nucs for myself and sold 4. Thats how many bees i had. So this year i didnt buy 1 bee. I may not have got honey but i made alot of bees. One guy i sold my russian queen to said they swarmed he caught it and now has 2 double deep hives from the nuc i sold him. They were pure russian i bought the queens from a certified russian breeder. Ill try them again but it has to be at a out yard not my house.


----------



## PepperBeeMan (Apr 27, 2016)

Judging from my experience and what I hear from others, my idea might not be bad at all. Perhaps it's best to split these guys now so that when they blow up in the Spring, I don't lose half to a swarm. If I can get a split every year + honey...why not? I've heard they're great at being frugal with stores during winter, so they should do fine in a 3 story nuc?


----------



## mahobee (Apr 24, 2013)

Billboard said:


> I here ya. Mine overwintered great. They ate very little. Bith hives were 3 deeps. When i opened them up in march they were completely packed with bees. At first they were nice then just like you said they followed me. They waitted for me to come out at the back door. The dog couldnt even go out. It got bad fast. I had to bite the bullet abd break them down. I sold the 2 queens in nucs to some guys that wanted them. I requeened the nucs i made to carnis. I can't have that. To aggressive. I got 9 nucs for myself and sold 4. Thats how many bees i had. So this year i didnt buy 1 bee. I may not have got honey but i made alot of bees. One guy i sold my russian queen to said they swarmed he caught it and now has 2 double deep hives from the nuc i sold him. They were pure russian i bought the queens from a certified russian breeder. Ill try them again but it has to be at a out yard not my house.


I have Russians at my house, and they are no problem as far as aggressive behavior and following me into the house. Perhaps all Russians aren't created equal? I have bought mine from Charles Walters and Dan Conlon, both certified Russian breeders.


----------



## Billboard (Dec 28, 2014)

mahobee said:


> I have Russians at my house, and they are no problem as far as aggressive behavior and following me into the house. Perhaps all Russians aren't created equal? I have bought mine from Charles Walters and Dan Conlon, both certified Russian breeders.


Mine were very nice and non aggressive the first yr too. It was about a month coming out if winter, actually they got mean April 12th this yr. and yes not all Russians are equal. Lol. Mine were out for blood. I got mine from Harry Fulton. But it really doesn't matter who you buy them from on the Russian breeder site. They all share. And from what I'm told by mr coy that if I buy from him and then from the Walters and Harry Fulton they all have the same genes for that yr. so you got yours from the Walters I got mine from Fulton we both had the same genetics if we both are talking last yr.


----------



## PepperBeeMan (Apr 27, 2016)

This weekend I saw them man-handle a red wasp. At first, only 1 guard be would tackle the wasp. Then it turned into 3, 2 holding the legs not allowing it to fly away while the other pummeled it.


----------



## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Having the two parts of the split that close especially one queenless the other not, might lead to drifting to the queenright half. I have a number of side by side nucs but both colonies were same status queen wise. Putting entrances on alternate ends might be a good idea.


----------



## PepperBeeMan (Apr 27, 2016)

They may have swarmed while on vacation. Half as many bees. Seems like not enough bees to cover comb in top box, and the top box is dry. Started feeding again.


----------

