Hive origin: Nuc formed from 1 frame of 2013 Hive 1 (found capped supercedure cell 6/10/13) and 2 frames from 2013 Hive 2
Queen type: Pending new from 2013
6/10/13: Created this nuc when I found a capped supercedure cell in 2013 Hive 1 which had a relatively new queen. I removed this frame to a nuc in case she just needs a bit more time to pick up laying. Added two frames of nurse bees with a bit of brood from H2. Two remaining frames are one undrawn and one of drawn comb. A tiny nuc just to raise this queen opportunistically.
6/15/13: Still small, queen cell open, queen not seen and no eggs. Perhaps on mating flight? Same as Nuc 1.
6/21/13: Still no queen spotted, no eggs, this time there was another capped queen cell. That egg must have come from the new queen, but they are not happy with her?
6/28/13: Saw the new queen that hatched out, she is not yet laying. Small nuc.
7/5/13: Small nuc, new eggs, spotted queen. OK in nuc for now.
7/23/13: Queen spotted, not laying. No queens were laying at this time.
8/3/13: Eggs and queen spotted. Low on honey, could soon go in to a deep with some frames of honey. Ditto for 8/10/13.
8/17/13: Spotted eggs and queen. Small nuc, no food. Added a frame of honey and 20 minutes later there was a swarm of bees raiding this nuc through a crack between the lid and the nuc box. I changed the lid to one that did not leave a gap and stuffed most of the entrance with grass to prevent robbing.
8/25/13: Eggs spotted, ok on food and space. Not robbed out.
9/11/13: Perfect nuc! Food, brood, eggs, not too big or growing too fast for the space. Has honey, pollen, and is drying nectar.
9/28/13: Still perfect.
12/22/13: Nuc is nearly frozen to death, starved, down to a couple of
hundred bees (200?) and the queen was hanging on. This hive will likely freeze in a cold
snap. Replaced an empty frame with a
frame full of honey in the center of the nuc.
