# Nuc covers



## jrbbees (Apr 4, 2010)

yes, that is what it is. Just make sure it will breathe out the water vapor that is a by product of the brood nest.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Mine are canvas. I would have bought white but they were out that day, so I ended up with blue...


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## Keth Comollo (Nov 4, 2011)

Woven bags that commercial grass seed applicators use. Find a local hydro seeding company and you will get a lifetime supply.


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## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

I've been using older tarps because they don't lose threads on the edges like the feed bags around here.


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## seapro220 (Mar 14, 2013)

A follow up question if I might - 

I've built some nuc's using the tradition 'bottom board' format. Is this the 'usual' or are many people using IPM (screened only) bottom boards? I think it could only help with ventilalazion and potentially mites/beetles/ etc. Just curious how many use 'only' screened and what issues might be there if you dont use a 'solid' bottom board on/for nucs?

thanks -


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## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

seapro220 said:


> A follow up question if I might -
> 
> I've built some nuc's using the tradition 'bottom board' format. Is this the 'usual' or are many people using IPM (screened only) bottom boards? I think it could only help with ventilalazion and potentially mites/beetles/ etc. Just curious how many use 'only' screened and what issues might be there if you dont use a 'solid' bottom board on/for nucs?


I use scrap 3/4" or 5/8" plywood with 2 cedar shims for bottom boards, sort of an inverse of MB's top entrance lids. They are easy and cheap. None of mine are screened. The screens may give you a ventilation advantage when it is really hot, or you have them closed up for moving, but I don't see any other advantages. Certainly does not help with SHB and it is very questionable if they have any impact at all on your mite population.


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## seapro220 (Mar 14, 2013)

I've decided, at least for now to use solid bottom boards. I'll probably make up a couple of 3/4 screened bottom boards to aid with ventilation as needed and see how they do. Interestingly I wasn't able to find the correct hole size needed for my quart jars on my Migratory tops, so I'm using a 2 7/8" bit (i believe) and just cut another shim out of 3/4 to fit along the top. Using this method, my quart jar doesn't 'hit' or not fit well on my tops, it addes a a nice 'lip' to the top cover, some air space, and seems to hang just right for the bees. 

Anyway, I've got 2 new splits going now and am watching them daily to see what happens. I've got 8 queen cells in 1 nuc, and 4 in another so there's gonna be some fighting going on in the next week or so...

now, wish i had a good solution for the SHB ...


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## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

seapro220 said:


> I've got 8 queen cells in 1 nuc, and 4 in another so there's gonna be some fighting going on in the next week or so...


seapro, Sounds like you need to make more splits with all those cells! ;<)


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

Keth Comollo said:


> Woven bags that commercial grass seed applicators use. ..


I use some of these, but I'm not crazy about the shreds of plastic that eventually come off from them...

Adam


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## seapro220 (Mar 14, 2013)

Probably so - but running out of brood and 'stock'. Image that. I could probably make up some 2 frame units and start several that way, but hadn't thought of going that route as I'm just getting into it - and hadn't thought it'd be 'gang-busters' from the start. Usually people are needing queens, and not brood-stock huh ?? I have a triple-deep box that is going pretty well now, so i might try to make another split from it this weekend. That's the box that I really want to 'graft' from as that hive has grown from a (tear-out feral hive) 5-frame nuc to a triple-deep box since 5-11. Talk about gang-busters, 6 weeks to 3 almost full deep boxes. Here's the link, if I do it right - to the other posting I generated which shows some pictures from my 2 nuc boxes last night. http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?285211-queen-cells-and-characters


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## rkereid (Dec 20, 2009)

Adam Foster Collins said:


> I use some of these, but I'm not crazy about the shreds of plastic that eventually come off from them...
> 
> Adam


The silver and black plastic tarps that we use for construction don't shred like the feed bags. When they get old and torn up, I cut up the good parts for covers. I had to stop using the feed bags because the threads were a mess. Not sure if the lighter blue tarps would work or not.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

My nucs are screened bottom. They work fine in the Texas heat.


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## tarheit (Mar 26, 2003)

My nucs have a fixed/permanent bottom that is half screen. The entrance is a simple hole in one end of the nuc. Works fine in the hottest weather and I overwinter in them as well (though they have a windbreak then).


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