DOUBLE Stacking NUCS of Bees | Why would I do that?

We made some splits recently with queen cells and most of the have done well. In this video I show how I double stack them in preparation for upcoming weeks and explain why I do it.
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#brucesbees #beehive #honeybee #beemanbruce #beesarecool

[@LarryLeesBees]

Nice looking hives Bruce. Enjoy your content. Thanks for sharing.

[@Lsmith-ly2cm]

thank you for your quick response Bruce.

[@csorrells2000]

Looking good Bruce.

[@dadu63]

I double stack my nucs too Bruce. I love doing that. Thanks for sharing longsnapper. Roll Tide!

[@toprakanaciftligi8037]

Perfect 🙂🙂

[@mattsara2802]

It looks like you will have honey 🍯 bees are looking good

[@brucesbees]

I think so. We need a lot. Maybe they will pack it in. Thanks for checking in!

[@kevinduffusbeekeeping9804]

Nice one Bruce

[@gsmscrazycanuck9814]

Bees are looking good.

[@HaselorHoney]

Great video as usual Bruce, keep up the good work :-D

[@massachusettsprepper]

Yes sir my friend, you will have to keep boxes on those bees to stay ahead of them for sure. And I don't think I'm going to get any honey every year as well LOL. But the girls always seem to pull through. Thanks for sharing.

[@xozone394]

I Like your knowledge in beekeeping

[@russellkoopman3004]

Looks like honey supers very soon or they will be in the trees. It is amazing what bees will do when you are in a sustained flow. Thanks for the video Bruce. Hope you had a good weekend.

[@brucesbees]

Thanks. It has been good.

[@donbearden1953]

Bruce, I did the same thing with 5 frame boxes on Tuesday. Definitely an easy way to make splits. On those deep frames of honey in the brood boxes about the middle of May I rob a few of them where I’ve put new frames and haven’t treated for mites yet. That is just to get some fresh honey for immediate family and a couple of friends. You channel has really grown this spring and I think you are getting better and better with your videos. I wish that you were located closer. Thanks for the video.

[@brucesbees]

Yeah me too. Maybe I can get up there someday. I live nucs. They are so easy to manage. Maybe I will go all nucs one day but I have so much other equipment and nucs wouldn’t work well for pollination contracts.

[@noahriding5780]

I like to do those kinds of lids also with a tiny space there, so I can put in patties and sugar when its dearth. Thanks very much for this.

[@tylerbauer7015]

I just started using nucs for honey production and splits. Very underrated system.

[@brucesbees]

Yes. They are awesome.

[@brianboe3774]

I had a nuc last year that went 4 high ...survived a Montana winter and is now a double deep.

[@brucesbees]

That’s good stuff!

[@Matt-dc8lp]

I've had decent luck overwintering 5 frame nucs triple stacked in the great white north. Multi-stacked nucs are comb drawing machines!

[@brucesbees]

Yes they are!

[@matthewmccormick2417]

Hello my friend. Next Saturday busy day, Splits in the morning checking to see how many of the 28 came back mated and install them in 10 frames from the 6 framers. Put the original hives of mine in the 24 Horizontals and that evening drop cells on the 26 splits we will make. The Horizonatal i over winter exploded. Pulled a couple honey frames and put in frames for them to draw as it had almost all 30 frames full with brood and honey. They are looking good my friend. Your Girls are rocking the flow. The one Nuke i looked at today of the 28 came back mated and is Black just like the Queen from mother hive. I cant wait till saturday. Take care. Note as for me feeling better. still have some pain but a sting here and there helps that

[@brucesbees]

I am so glad to hear you are doing better. Sounds like things are rocking for you now. So much fun... good luck!

[@lkmary1]

Thanks for the video. I love working with nucs.

[@jamesnovinger3339]

North of you in Randolph County. Our privet is not blooming yet but Blackberry is going wild. Had a hive draw out a deep foundation and half filled out with honey in about two weeks.

[@brucesbees]

Sounds like they are kicking it in gear!

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

Hope the flow hits here in the next few weeks. Thanks Bruce!

[@brucesbees]

Hope it will. I hope it keeps going strong here for awhile.

[@mathgasm8484]

I was thinking using nucs to put my swarms in and then stacking extra boxes for them to work and draw out comb for other hives.

[@brucesbees]

That sounds like a good plan.

[@shanetaylor7369]

There is no way I can work my bees without a suit. Wish I could work them like you do in your videos

[@brucesbees]

Oh I always have my gear available. Sometimes they are absolutely crazy. I had some videos I did a couple of months ago where it was nuts.

[@kentcostello8099]

Hay love your videos and information. Can you please tell me what is a good book to buy to show how to billed your own beekeeping stuff like hives & nuc boxes. Keep it up and going

[@brucesbees]

I plan to do a video in the near future on how to do it. Just gotta find the time.

[@rickhermann7639]

NC is starting to get a flow. 2 hives (I only have 2) have capped honey in their brood area. my girls are reluctant to build comb

[@brucesbees]

Maybe they will kick it in as the flow continues to get stronger.

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

Heck...I've had some nucs 5 boxes high!

[@brucesbees]

Yes! They love it!

[@allisdad08]

My late great uncle started keeping in nucs when he got in his 80s and the 10 frames got harder on him. If you think about it guess nuc is closer to a tree cavity or hollow wall lol

[@cluelessbeekeeping1322]

@@allisdad08 I've shut up...because no one would take the suggestion, but I used to say to JUST get nucs! They're so much easier to handle than full sized hives! I use only 8-frame and think they're still 'too big' (mainly when they're full of honey). Nucs rock!

[@brucesbees]

I have a friend, a local beekeeper that just runs nucs. I may convert to that one day but have too much other equipment and I need the bigger boxes for pollination contracts. Also may look into horizontal hives. Just so many options and things to do...😜🤪

[@brucesbees]

There is a Facebook page dedicated to Nucleus Hive Beekeeping. It’s definitely a thing.

[@kevinduffusbeekeeping9804]

I double stack and even thriple stack mine in Jamaica too

[@strugglingbeekeepermarkcot9642]

You are going to have plenty of honey this year buddy.

[@brucesbees]

I hope so. Am at the end of last year’s honey. 4000+ gallons.

[@bricelarie6527]

I really do like that top with an entrance you got there ! It must help bee to keep their hive in the right shape ... Asked the reason why they did that kind a double instead putting these in a box ... Obvious point stand : to split it . Making it double in March , we find out the way to make them go in the upper stage was syrup in the nourishing upper level ... We got a few cold days just a week after we double it up ... Was quite strong n early in March , quite starving by the end of April ... I would have "played" it safely putting them in a box aiming to put so called "super" or honey only stages later instead aiming to split them ... I guess I already think about summer n next spring while "coach" don't yet ... Thanks for the explanation . Dare, care, ride safe, clean, have fun . From France, with .

[@brucesbees]

All good points. Thanks!

[@Lsmith-ly2cm]

Looks like a good flow. What is blooming in your area Bruce

[@brucesbees]

Privet is the biggest flow right now. Tallow will probably start in May and then we are mostly done with honey by mid to late June. There will be a little bit coming in over the summer and there is usually a bit of a fall flow but most happens late April through mid June.

[@richardpraeger6357]

I'm stressing as well. I made some splits and harvested queen cells and Either I'm super impatient or I made mistakes because a few of my strong hives now appear to be queenless with zero brood.

[@brucesbees]

How long ago did you do that?

[@larryschoenberger7957]

Looking good Bruce oh, we just got some 80 degree weather here and the bees are on fire LOL I have seen some checking out a couple of my swarm traps. I tried to use some butyric acid to remove a colony yesterday in a tree. I did not get the Queen but I did scalp a bunch of bees. My friend is going to give me a couple frames of brood and try to make a queen. I moved my ladder to another tree today and vacuumed up a few more bees. First time I have use it and it works awesome. So we are going to take them a distance and try to combine from three different hives. Hopefully it will all work out

[@brucesbees]

Sounds like things are kicking into gear. It’s always an adventure with bees. Good luck with the combine. Good times...

[@larryschoenberger7957]

@@brucesbees we turn right around and got a bunch of rain oh, so I kept those bees closed up for about 3 days on sugar syrup. A fair amount of them died but was able to add a frame of honey, and a frame of pollen, and a frame of mixed age brood with the bees that were on that frame this evening. Hoping that they can produce a queen. 54 degrees a low tonight and back to Sunny and 71 tomorrow. Hopefully they can pull it all together. As for now I am playing with two feral colonies in trees. The Brood we put in this came from a Russian Queen, my goal is to get the genetics of the feral bees. If I just wanted anything I would have just bought some

[@brucesbees]

Maybe it will all work out. Lots of times the bees figure it out. Sometimes they don’t but we can learn from them regardless of the outcome. 🙂

[@larryschoenberger7957]

There is no doubt there is a lot of learning going on. I think that is an everlasting process. If it were not we would lose interest. Looks like a few nice days here for Northwest Missouri

[@arlopowell50]

Can you make a video on how you make those nucs? Good luck this year!

[@brucesbees]

Yeah I am planning on it. Just need to find the time🙂

[@madsciencemedia873]

@@brucesbees yes please! following. just subscribed!

[@brucesbees]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqWZeX6vhshmrck

[@brucesbees]

Here is the other style. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bV60dneDr7prlac

[@jimmygoen4620]

I started using just nucs on over half of mine. Some have multiple stacked

[@brucesbees]

They do well in nucs for sure.

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

Bees are jamming now. Easy to get behind really fast strong flow hits. We should have strong dandelion flow this week. Cold front passing finally

[@brucesbees]

When you gonna have some queens? I might try some.

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

Ya ill ship ya some sample queens .. Just getting started on that .. Grafts are looking good.

[@jamestownsendjrtbees3226]

Hi Bruce, nice looking colonies. I keep 10 frame deep single brood chambers, my second year and I want to split to grow and hopefully get a honey crop. Should I wait until I have some swarm cells to make a split with? I don't want to knock them back to much. I was just thinking 2 or 3 frames with everything in a nuc and let them try making their own queen? They are getting big so I have to do something that I haven't done yet? Here in northwest NJ they just started bringing in a bit of nectar. Thanks Bruce

[@brucesbees]

I think your plan will work but make sure they have plenty of resources and bees. Especially if it is still getting cold. Best option would be to split with cells or a good mated queen but walk away splits will work as long as both splits have plenty of resources, eggs and bees.

[@brucesbees]

Would be a good idea to connect with someone more local to you that had a better feel fit beekeeping in your area. There are so many variables and location is a huge factor.

[@richardrbrynerjr.7912]

They can actually make new comb faster than they can clean up that old moldy comb, that just sets them back, good luck though!

[@brucesbees]

I have used comb with mold and they have done very well with it. Not even skipped a beat. Just my experience.

[@taylorboysoutdoors]

Yep the like to go vertical

[@sidelinerbeekeeper]

I've heard the bees white wax the top of frames telling you they have run out of space, you scraped off a pound of honey. You may be leaving honey in the field because they are stuffed full.

[@jeffcotton526]

Do you pick up the comb you scrape off? Just curious.

[@brucesbees]

I usually scrape it off. Should save it.

[@mitchellcampbell3521]

Hey Bruce can you send me the measurements to your new nuc boxes. I'm going to build some.

[@brucesbees]

Email me at [e-mail] with your contact info. I am going to try and do a video on it but not sure when it will be. So much going on right now.

[@MrGoldenArms357]

Love to get your hive specs...

[@brucesbees]

Here are the specs for the nuc boxes I am using now. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqWZeX6vhshmrck

[@kennylecroy3586]

This way will the top be a super and the queen lay eggs in it?

[@brucesbees]

No I just let the queen do her thing. Don’t plan on removing honey from these nucs. Will probably be splitting them soon.

[@jdogsbad]

When you take the split and the queen is in the bottom will the bees in the top frame make their own queen ?

[@brucesbees]

If there are eggs or newly hatched larvae they can absolutely make their own queen.

[@marcosverdu3672]

Any bees dont bite you? And nice vídeo

[@brucesbees]

Yeah I get stung sometimes but right now the bees are pretty calm.

[@markspc1]

Bruce it looks like that there is a commercial beekeeper in south central Indiana that uses only 5 frames nucs for his apiary.

[@bradsmith3303]

I use double and even triple stacked nucs all year round. I'm in SW IN. I use the hives fir raising bees and queens and supporting my honey hives. I love working them in this configuration.

[@brucesbees]

Mee too. Nucs are awesome.

[@karenjones6088]

Hi Bruce. Um why don't you save your extra bur comb.every one else keeps it and keeps the bee yard clean .

[@brucesbees]

You’re right I should do a better job at that.

[@shegocrazy]

You don't put a mat on top of your NUC frames? ....and i keep the comb scraped off and use for wax rendering later on. Best to collect rather than discard.

[@brucesbees]

No I don’t have a mat and you are right that would be better.

[@sms8035]

can you use nucs to produce honey? instead of the big heavy ten frame super

[@brucesbees]

Absolutely. They love the narrow boxes.

[@sms8035]

because i have experienced the ten frame hives but then don't fully cap the whole super before season ends because they store tou much in the brood box so i was wondering what if i decrease the brood box hive size and that will get them to store upwards

[@brucesbees]

@@sms8035 you should give it a try but yes they go upward very quickly during a flow. Sometimes there will be little to no honey in the lower boxes unless they get honey bound. Then they will back fill.

[@s.fla.beekeepingmangoesand1517]

If you have brood in both boxes, why does it matter where the queen is when you make the split?

[@brucesbees]

If it’s a walk away split it doesn’t really matter.

[@brucesbees]

Or if dropping a cell in both it doesn’t matter because queen cells are relatively inexpensive. But if introducing mated queen it could get expensive if you introduce her to a colony with an already existing queen.

[@s.fla.beekeepingmangoesand1517]

Thanks for the reply. I’ve done a couple walk aways with success. Never introduced a queen. I have a hard time finding her is why I do walk aways.

[@brucesbees]

Yes walk aways work well much of the time.

[@sms8035]

Have you tried 5 Frame hives for honey Production?

[@brucesbees]

Not intentionally but have pulled some honey form nucs in the past. It works well! Bees love the 5 framers.

[@sms8035]

@@brucesbees i want to try the five frame nuc, because the ten frame are hard on my back, I'm from Seychelles

[@brucesbees]

@sms8035 I think you will like it. The thing to remember is that the bees grow into new boxes very fast so you will have to stay ahead of them. There is an older local beekeeper in this area that uses nucs for all his management. It has allowed him the ability to keep bees longer than he probably would have been able with full sized equipment.

[@sms8035]

@@brucesbees i see, thank you you for the advice, the season is about to start in a few weeks in my area, by the way great videos, keep it up, i follow most of your videos, plus i do not get winter where I'm from and we do not have those tiny mites

[@panaglaw]

The reason I do this.. 5:27

[@namentatic4978]

I would not recommend you to throw that bure comb wax/honey on the ground. It will attract some hive beetles, ants, and some other predators. Nice colonies and hives you have.

[@ivanphillips4399]

So Bruce I have a swarm box that yesterday had 50 bee’s flying around it.then today almost no bee’s but there are still a few bee’s going in and out.. any ideas on if they are possibly going to come or what’s your thoughts have you seen this b4?

[@brucesbees]

Yes maybe they decided on another spot or maybe they are deciding what they want to do now. Whether or not they choose your trap it sounds like it is in a good spot. Maybe you will catch some soon.

[@matthewklump7586]

My favorite way to build up hives is stacking nucs. They seem to draw frames faster. I usually go 3 high then transfer to my 10 frame equipment.

[@brucesbees]

Yes I love nucs more and more as time goes on.

[@brucesbees]

So versatile.