I made a 2 frame nuc like this and finally got around to using it this spring.... seems to work well for growing the hive count. Thanks David for all that you share!
Hey David. I went by your shop to pick up my bees yesterday and was looking forward to meeting you. Just wanted to let you know that your videos are a huge help and I enjoy them a lot. Keep it up
I added a link to see the boxes I built using the measurements here. I love the boxes, they are great. Turned out very sturdy and cute. My craftsmanship was far from perfect but it did not seem to matter in the end. Thank you for sharing the measurements!
I never had a two frame nuc swarm yet and I ran them all summer log. I just had two big colonies try to swarm so I pulled the queens into two frame nucs as backups. I made a few of these nucs after seeing them on this channel years ago.
@Daniel Pacheco I thought that too originally. However it seems they cant expand big enough to swarm. Either it's not enough bees or not enough stored resources not sure. Two frames seems to keep them below the swarming threshold. Haven't seen one swarm yet.
I use 6 framers wax dipped now. They work great and all 70+ splits and cells i dropped did great this year. 6 Framers are good for splits and to over winter in the brutal cold here in upper mid west
David you know I’m out in Northern New Mexico in the south Rocky Mountain area where we have winters from about December to March and Jan and Feb out temps are in the 20’s and single digits at night. My success rate with your bees overwintering is about 90% my local bees from a local guy is about 50% overwintering success. It’s amazing how resilient coming from a warm mild area to a snow cold area the bees I get from you are. They are just awesome and kick but. We are barely starting our season now we had a cold snap late in April but there growing great. I wish I could afford a few more packages from you. But slowly but surely we’re building up our operation thank you so much!!!
I made 6 2frame and 18 3 frame they worked very well for starting queen cells. Rarely had the use for the third frame in the 3 frame.. but it solid plan vs a mini nuc for me
Gday David, Thinks getting colder down here in Australia. Heading into Winter. Thanks so much mate for all the great info you pass on. I have learnt so so much over the last few years from you. Always so interesting. Cheers 🍻
I’m going to use a divider board in a 5 frame nuc with an entrance on opposite ends and try this. Since I went to 8 frame I spit all my 10 frame boxes into 5 frame nuc so I have a lot of them.
I've split my 10 frame into 2 5 frame and succeeded last year. This year I split my 5 frame nucs into 2 2 frame mating nucs and it's working. I want to make more 5 frame boxes and 2 frame boxes
I wonder if it would even be possible to use divider boards to fit 3-4 of these into a 10 frame hive, especially if you had entrances going out opposite sides, or if it would still be too much. I guess you could technically have an entrance going out all 4 sides if you made a custom bottom board lol... 🤔
@@johnandjacquelinewarren9979 I actually found, in my equipment load, a commercially produced 10 frame with 3 entrances and divider boards. I bought it years ago and never used it.
@@romoshka1 Awesome! I guess that answers that question, thanks 😀 I think I may actually try 4 colonies in one 10 frame body with each colony having an entrance on a different side of the hive. On that commercially made one you found were all 3 entrances you found still on the front?
You've been raving about mini-nucs all summer so I built two on Sunday. Mine are 3 frame deeps and its because I'm a tick north of you in NC. Im going to split my two hives in April and then let the mini nucs create small swarms all summer.
Hey David I see you use osb to make your mini nucs and your 5 frame nucs. Is there a specific size? Thickness, of osb that you use and what is the advantage of this over other types of wood products? Do u have a video of you making any of these? I see your dimensions u have listed but am a little confused on your pieces you cut out to make the parts to make one? Thanks and I really enjoy your videos very informants. Thanks for sharing your knowledge 👍
I fallow Ian a commercial beekeeper in Canada and he keeps his hives on pallets that hold three hives. The hives are 6 frame and they are covered with 2 queen exscluders, the bees share 2 suppers. So my question is, if you have a bunch of 2 fram hives couldn't you shove them together and cover with queen exscluders and add a super of honey to winter them. I'm aware that they could pull away from the queens and that she could starve. I'm interested in over wintering 2 fram hive enough to try it, so just looking for options. Thank you all.
Can you please make the feeder tops that you use to feed these two frame Nucs available to buy on your store’s website I have tried cobbling some together but they didn’t work so well.
If they don't, David often supplements them with a Hive top Feeder.... L@@k at his Apiary footage. The x2 Nucs have feeders under roofs, (that seem way to wide, you'd think they would topple over.) They don't ! Check out the lovely colours of his Boxes ! Just amazing to see Hundreds all set out in line on those long Hive Stands he has. Almost like Bee Streets ! With Zipcodes on their roofs, not. Bees don't get mixed up in his setup.👌 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Hi David, quick question please..when you make those 2 frame nuc splits, do you leave them right next to their ordinal hive? Or do they need to be put in a whole new location far from the original? Thanx in advance😊
David does in this Clip, Management, requiring you to "bleed" Bees off on a regular basis.... To thus prevent Swarms ! 1) David made a x2 Framer. When it has a Queen, and a 2nd Frame full of Bees, guess what... David 'bled', the Queen, on x1 Frame, to another x2 Framer. He added an empty 2nd frame / or Comb... to build up once more ! The original x2 Framer, had Nurse Bees, eggs and Larva. Again he added a 2nd new Frame, and waits for them to make a 'new' Queen... This process of bleeding Bees, is a Swarm Prevention Management Technique ! Hope this helps. 😎 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Happy Beekeeping 2022. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
New keeper here..I purchased 3 mini nukes from you last night and I want to do walk away splits with them. If I put in a frame of bees with brood and a frame of food (not sure if this is the right way) my question is during the period of them establishing a queen do they forage or do they rely on the frame of food?
Doesn't it have to have an egg or larvae in queen cell? You said it was open, but was there something in it? Just trying to figure out your method , thanks. If I wanted to make a queen and had no swarm cell, I do a frame with eggs,plenty of nurse bees and what's the 2and. Frame need to be? Thanks, Scott
LoL as a newbee. I wished i saw your videos before friday.. made a split cause a friend had a virgin queen... let her out the cage only after 1 day. Opened up the box about 8 hours later pulled a frame and watched her fly off. 🤣🤣
David just need a little clarification. The mini nuc you moved had a sealed queen cell in it. I get that but the one you left in place had queen cells as well and the original queen was in it. Isn't there a danger that nuc will swarm on you?
Kenneth... Know it was 10 months ago, answering for now ! It was a x2 Frame Nuc Box, David had x1 Frame if Bees, mainly on the inside of the box, and a drawn Queen "Cup" ! (Until a Cup is sealed its NOT a Queen Cell...) 👀 1) He had a Queen in their already, if she's doing great, she will do away (Kill) that Virgin Queen, if one is made, and or / she hatches. 2) If the Democracy of the Hive (Workers Rule) the existing Queen is failing, (old, losing her strong Phremone) the Hive will 'deal' with her, by saying Go 'Swarm', or they will 'Ball' her (do a collective Sting/Smother technique.) When that Virgin Queen emerges. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Happy Beekeeping 2022. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Sometimes, a Queen (Mother) and a newer Queen (Daughter) Can co-exist in the same Hive. More so in Top Bar Hives, that have more than x1 side entrance. Usually one resides, the other demises. 🙄
Ha David I did a lot of this this year to the count that I now have 42 hives with 18 of them being the 2 framers But I am afraid of trying to over winter them with just 2 frames.. so I am stealing from the full hives capped brood to build them up, I live in Virginia the sound is not real great on this computer so I do not know if u said anything about overwintering them do u over winter the 2 frames of bees and what do u think about over wintering them in 2 frames in Virginia do u think they will live,, Thanks for another good video have a blessed week and a nice Memorial Day
I'm also in VA. I've not overwintered a 5 frame yet but definitely won't try a 2 framer up here. It just gets too cold. People up here do bundle 5 frame nucs side by side with a common super. I won't risk it though
Not sure what you ended up deciding (I realize I am a year late), but I am pretty sure in a different video he mentioned that sometime in July he starts focusing on getting his 2 frame colonies built up to at least 5 frame colonies. Not sure if that is where he keeps them for winter or not.
so I got a 5 frame nuc 4 weeks ago and added them to a 10 frame deep, and after 14 days added a super after they had all frames full of brood and honey etc, today ( day 21 they swarmed ) i haven't checked the hive yet as they swarmed late afternoon any insight ? thanks ! Atlanta GA
I have had a swarm come in to my backyard 10 days ago !!!...and they are still on my maple tree branch at about 7 foot from the ground .... do I need one of these to set out for them to find and rehome them ??? I don’t want to kill them , I just don’t want them near our dogs
Also this is the first time in my entire 45 years of living has this ever happens to me . I am not a new keeper , and I tried calling a local bee keeper and he never came by to get them
In high Swarm Season, I'd say every x7 Days. Aka the same schedule, same day this week, to next, each weekend, each day off from work etc. Queens hatch on the 16th Day, but a Queen Cell gets "Sealed" around 7th Day, when the Hive will decide to Swarm ! ...aka, next week a new Queen will rock this place, let's get ready to rumble ! Cause some drama in the Neighbours garden etc... 😉 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 Happy Beekeeping 2022 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Dave, a new question came up. I've been thinking about the 2 frame nucs. And very hopeful about them. But one thing I wasn't sure about. Do the 2 frame nuc colonies have a harder time feeding themselves when you first split them off? Initially its really a 1 frame with an empty frame. And sometimes that empty might not have comb drawn out. I was a bit worried about if they can still have enough foragers when you first place them in the 2 frame (1 frame + 1 empty) situation, since its so much smaller in numbers of bees for a bit? Hope you can comment about this.
Usually I put frame honey nectar or sealed and frame of brood and didn't have to add food to mate queens,.. i filled mine 3 times before changing the food frame on a few most went 4 times with out changing the food frame.. didn't try 5 times so not sure how that would work.,,
I walk up my garden, get some fat balls to put in the bird feeders...bang some bloody bee stung me on the back of the head! 🙄 gardens a carpet of daisies, I’m guessing it was laying in wait! Ambushed by a honey bee 😂. How the hell can you handle them bees without getting stung, or are you so used to it, it no longer bothers you. I used to walk 20 yds past my Dads hive and I’d get bounced off by an angry bee.
I made a 2 frame nuc like this and finally got around to using it this spring.... seems to work well for growing the hive count. Thanks David for all that you share!
Hey David. I went by your shop to pick up my bees yesterday and was looking forward to meeting you. Just wanted to let you know that your videos are a huge help and I enjoy them a lot. Keep it up
I made the mini nucs but I made them with 3 frames and they worked great . Thanks David for the help of making more hives easy
I bought two of these 2 frame mating nucs from you and they are working great! Thanks Dave!
I added a link to see the boxes I built using the measurements here. I love the boxes, they are great. Turned out very sturdy and cute. My craftsmanship was far from perfect but it did not seem to matter in the end. Thank you for sharing the measurements!
I never had a two frame nuc swarm yet and I ran them all summer log. I just had two big colonies try to swarm so I pulled the queens into two frame nucs as backups. I made a few of these nucs after seeing them on this channel years ago.
@Daniel Pacheco I thought that too originally. However it seems they cant expand big enough to swarm. Either it's not enough bees or not enough stored resources not sure. Two frames seems to keep them below the swarming threshold. Haven't seen one swarm yet.
I use 6 framers wax dipped now. They work great and all 70+ splits and cells i dropped did great this year. 6 Framers are good for splits and to over winter in the brutal cold here in upper mid west
David you know I’m out in Northern New Mexico in the south Rocky Mountain area where we have winters from about December to March and Jan and Feb out temps are in the 20’s and single digits at night. My success rate with your bees overwintering is about 90% my local bees from a local guy is about 50% overwintering success. It’s amazing how resilient coming from a warm mild area to a snow cold area the bees I get from you are. They are just awesome and kick but. We are barely starting our season now we had a cold snap late in April but there growing great. I wish I could afford a few more packages from you. But slowly but surely we’re building up our operation thank you so much!!!
Am always interested in these 2 frame hives👍
I made 6 2frame and 18 3 frame they worked very well for starting queen cells. Rarely had the use for the third frame in the 3 frame.. but it solid plan vs a mini nuc for me
If you read the old Bee books they used 2framers. 👍 You just have to stay on top of them. Good content David 👍 thanks
Gday David,
Thinks getting colder down here in Australia. Heading into Winter. Thanks so much mate for all the great info you pass on. I have learnt so so much over the last few years from you. Always so interesting.
Cheers 🍻
Thank you sir so much!!!
Going to start using them this year
I love the two frame nucs
Great Video!
Thanks for sharing and congrats on 200k subs.
I enjoy your videos!! Thanks for the tips and your advice!!
I use them and mate queens I love them
I’m going to use a divider board in a 5 frame nuc with an entrance on opposite ends and try this. Since I went to 8 frame I spit all my 10 frame boxes into 5 frame nuc so I have a lot of them.
I've split my 10 frame into 2 5 frame and succeeded last year. This year I split my 5 frame nucs into 2 2 frame mating nucs and it's working. I want to make more 5 frame boxes and 2 frame boxes
I wonder if it would even be possible to use divider boards to fit 3-4 of these into a 10 frame hive, especially if you had entrances going out opposite sides, or if it would still be too much.
I guess you could technically have an entrance going out all 4 sides if you made a custom bottom board lol... 🤔
@@johnandjacquelinewarren9979 I found a 10
@@johnandjacquelinewarren9979 I actually found, in my equipment load, a commercially produced 10 frame with 3 entrances and divider boards. I bought it years ago and never used it.
@@romoshka1 Awesome! I guess that answers that question, thanks 😀 I think I may actually try 4 colonies in one 10 frame body with each colony having an entrance on a different side of the hive.
On that commercially made one you found were all 3 entrances you found still on the front?
I've made a 3 frame version also.
Thank you 🐝🐝🐝
You've been raving about mini-nucs all summer so I built two on Sunday. Mine are 3 frame deeps and its because I'm a tick north of you in NC. Im going to split my two hives in April and then let the mini nucs create small swarms all summer.
thank you
The is the best idea I got in 5 years, Thank you very much. ( 5 days check) ????
Hey David I see you use osb to make your mini nucs and your 5 frame nucs. Is there a specific size? Thickness, of osb that you use and what is the advantage of this over other types of wood products? Do u have a video of you making any of these? I see your dimensions u have listed but am a little confused on your pieces you cut out to make the parts to make one? Thanks and I really enjoy your videos very informants. Thanks for sharing your knowledge 👍
Maybe I should buy some queens and try a three frame box. Queens are near impossible to get around north Virginia.
I bought some of your bees. They are so gentle. Awesome
I wish you lived in Texas and become my mentor. I have more questions than a toddler. Love watching and learning. Thank you tons.
I’m in Texas.
Thank you Gloria!!!
@@patrickkostecka1016 what part of Texas I’m by the Monte Alto area.
@@gloriagzlz I’m in the cross timber’s region.
I fallow Ian a commercial beekeeper in Canada and he keeps his hives on pallets that hold three hives. The hives are 6 frame and they are covered with 2 queen exscluders, the bees share 2 suppers.
So my question is, if you have a bunch of 2 fram hives couldn't you shove them together and cover with queen exscluders and add a super of honey to winter them. I'm aware that they could pull away from the queens and that she could starve. I'm interested in over wintering 2 fram hive enough to try it, so just looking for options. Thank you all.
Can you please make the feeder tops that you use to feed these two frame Nucs available to buy on your store’s website I have tried cobbling some together but they didn’t work so well.
I like my 3 frame nucs better than a two .
Hey David I have a question can you use these two frames nucs to use for graft queens
Nice work! Do they tend to have enough feed in the one frame with the queen cell?
If they don't, David often supplements them with a Hive top Feeder.... L@@k at his Apiary footage.
The x2 Nucs have feeders under roofs, (that seem way
to wide, you'd think they would topple over.) They don't ! Check out the lovely colours of his Boxes ! Just amazing to see Hundreds all set out in line on those long Hive Stands he has. Almost like Bee Streets ! With Zipcodes on their roofs, not.
Bees don't get mixed up in his setup.👌
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Are the 2 frame nucs supposed to have a bottom entrance on both sides?
Hi David, quick question please..when you make those 2 frame nuc splits, do you leave them right next to their ordinal hive? Or do they need to be put in a whole new location far from the original? Thanx in advance😊
Like your videos. Can I put a frame with foundation in the hive instead of a foundationless frame? Just finished making two frames nucs.
Do you notice any difference in the quality of the queens produced by a small colony vs a large one. Are queens produced this way quicker to swarm?
David does in this Clip, Management, requiring you to "bleed" Bees off on a regular basis.... To thus prevent Swarms !
1) David made a x2 Framer. When it has a Queen, and a 2nd Frame full of Bees, guess what... David 'bled', the Queen, on x1 Frame, to another x2 Framer. He added an empty 2nd frame / or Comb... to build up once more !
The original x2 Framer, had Nurse Bees, eggs and Larva. Again he added a 2nd new Frame, and waits for them to make a 'new' Queen...
This process of bleeding Bees, is a Swarm Prevention Management Technique ! Hope this helps. 😎
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Happy Beekeeping 2022.
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
I wonder if June is too late in the year to do this? Split, queen raising?
Thank David!! How often do you check on the 2 frame nuc?
New keeper here..I purchased 3 mini nukes from you last night and I want to do walk away splits with them. If I put in a frame of bees with brood and a frame of food (not sure if this is the right way) my question is during the period of them establishing a queen do they forage or do they rely on the frame of food?
What is the measurements to a 2 framer
How often do you check them for queen cells?
Best to check every couple to 3 days when they start getting full.
@@davidhaught84 Thank You
Doesn't it have to have an egg or larvae in queen cell? You said it was open, but was there something in it? Just trying to figure out your method , thanks. If I wanted to make a queen and had no swarm cell, I do a frame with eggs,plenty of nurse bees and what's the 2and. Frame need to be? Thanks, Scott
LoL as a newbee. I wished i saw your videos before friday.. made a split cause a friend had a virgin queen... let her out the cage only after 1 day. Opened up the box about 8 hours later pulled a frame and watched her fly off. 🤣🤣
David just need a little clarification. The mini nuc you moved had a sealed queen cell in it. I get that but the one you left in place had queen cells as well and the original queen was in it. Isn't there a danger that nuc will swarm on you?
Kenneth...
Know it was 10 months ago, answering for now !
It was a x2 Frame Nuc Box, David had x1 Frame if Bees, mainly on the inside of the box, and a drawn Queen "Cup" !
(Until a Cup is sealed its NOT a Queen Cell...) 👀
1) He had a Queen in their already, if she's doing great, she will do away (Kill) that Virgin Queen, if one is made, and or / she hatches.
2) If the Democracy of the Hive (Workers Rule) the existing Queen is failing, (old, losing her strong Phremone) the Hive will 'deal' with her, by saying Go 'Swarm', or they will 'Ball' her (do a collective Sting/Smother technique.) When that Virgin Queen emerges.
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Happy Beekeeping 2022.
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Sometimes, a Queen (Mother) and a newer Queen (Daughter) Can co-exist in the same Hive. More so in Top Bar Hives, that have more than x1 side entrance.
Usually one resides, the other demises. 🙄
@@ME_MeAndMyBees Thank you very much. That cleared up my questions.
Do you recommend cutting one of those two queen cells out or just let them sort it out?
If you can use it best to cut it out. But if still open its best to wait till it's capped.
Ha David I did a lot of this this year to the count that I now have 42 hives with 18 of them being the 2 framers But I am afraid of trying to over winter them with just 2 frames.. so I am stealing from the full hives capped brood to build them up, I live in Virginia the sound is not real great on this computer so I do not know if u said anything about overwintering them do u over winter the 2 frames of bees and what do u think about over wintering them in 2 frames in Virginia do u think they will live,, Thanks for another good video have a blessed week and a nice Memorial Day
I'm also in VA. I've not overwintered a 5 frame yet but definitely won't try a 2 framer up here. It just gets too cold. People up here do bundle 5 frame nucs side by side with a common super. I won't risk it though
Not sure what you ended up deciding (I realize I am a year late), but I am pretty sure in a different video he mentioned that sometime in July he starts focusing on getting his 2 frame colonies built up to at least 5 frame colonies. Not sure if that is where he keeps them for winter or not.
@@johnandjacquelinewarren9979 I think David in North Ga. so he can get away with 5 frames. Va. gets a bit colder.
Great video buddy I have a two framer that has a queen in it that I made from a walk away split. Hope all is well with you buddy.
Hey ole friend, how ya been. I watch all of your videos. Keep up the good work.
what's up with no upper ventilation in these boxes?
The top feeder box has a vent hole.
so I got a 5 frame nuc 4 weeks ago and added them to a 10 frame deep, and after 14 days added a super after they had all frames full of brood and honey etc, today ( day 21 they swarmed ) i haven't checked the hive yet as they swarmed late afternoon any insight ? thanks ! Atlanta GA
So when you split the 2 frame box you are able to keep both boxes in the same area and the moved bees won't return to the original box?
Yes some will, but keeps frame with most bees and brood in the box that you move.
Whats the difference between one unopened queen cell and one thats closed? Sounds like the same damn thing to me!😎
I have had a swarm come in to my backyard 10 days ago !!!...and they are still on my maple tree branch at about 7 foot from the ground .... do I need one of these to set out for them to find and rehome them ??? I don’t want to kill them , I just don’t want them near our dogs
Also this is the first time in my entire 45 years of living has this ever happens to me . I am not a new keeper , and I tried calling a local bee keeper and he never came by to get them
Do really need a two frame box or it's the same with 2 frames in an adamhive with managed broodnest?
Cu
How often do you check these two frame hives?
In high Swarm Season, I'd say every x7 Days. Aka the same schedule, same day this week, to next, each weekend, each day off from work etc.
Queens hatch on the 16th Day, but a Queen Cell gets "Sealed" around 7th Day, when the Hive will decide to Swarm !
...aka, next week a new Queen will rock this place, let's get ready to rumble ! Cause some drama in the Neighbours garden etc... 😉
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Happy Beekeeping 2022
🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝
Why do they make queens when they already have a queen?
Because the queen they have is getting ready to go and look for a bigger place with a load of bees as the hive they have is too crowded
@@togwilson thank you
❤❤❤❤😊
In Scotland anything less than 5 frames won’t survive :)
Dave, a new question came up. I've been thinking about the 2 frame nucs. And very hopeful about them.
But one thing I wasn't sure about. Do the 2 frame nuc colonies have a harder time feeding themselves when you first split them off? Initially its really a 1 frame with an empty frame. And sometimes that empty might not have comb drawn out. I was a bit worried about if they can still have enough foragers when you first place them in the 2 frame (1 frame + 1 empty) situation, since its so much smaller in numbers of bees for a bit?
Hope you can comment about this.
Usually I put frame honey nectar or sealed and frame of brood and didn't have to add food to mate queens,.. i filled mine 3 times before changing the food frame on a few most went 4 times with out changing the food frame.. didn't try 5 times so not sure how that would work.,,
I built 3 frame nuc's for queen cells. not a fan of 2. brood/food/blank
🇹🇷👍
Why is that ?
I am an absolute queen making failure. Very sad. I wish that I could get this system working. Public whining.
I walk up my garden, get some fat balls to put in the bird feeders...bang some bloody bee stung me on the back of the head! 🙄 gardens a carpet of daisies, I’m guessing it was laying in wait! Ambushed by a honey bee 😂.
How the hell can you handle them bees without getting stung, or are you so used to it, it no longer bothers you.
I used to walk 20 yds past my Dads hive and I’d get bounced off by an angry bee.
could you please use wood - just wood?
Your 2 Frame Nucs are horrible..