How to Install a Nuc (Nucleus Colony)

In this lesson you will learn how to install a 5 frame nuc into your hive.
You will learn how to set up your hive and transfer frames from a nuc into your hive. You will also learn what to look for in a nuc and see a nuc up close frame by frame as it is installed into a hive.
This video is part of a series comparing a package of bees vs a nuc, so please subscribe and follow along to see how they compare.
If you didn't see our video, How to Install a Package, click here: • How to Install a Packa...
If you are interested in becoming a beekeeper this is a great place to start learning. This lesson is part of our complete series, Introduction to Beekeeping. If you are interested in enrolling in this complete course please visit the link below:
courses.newbee...
If you need a quality ventilated bee jacket or suit please check out:
ComfortProSuit...
Thank you for watching and we hope you will subscribe and continue to watch our videos and learn to raise happy, healthy, honey-making bees!
Matthew Doucette
NewBee University
www.newbeeuniv...

[@MrCaneast]

I'm installing 3 nucs today after a bad winter. Thank you for the good instructions. I didn't want to miss anything. I think giving each some syrup would give them a good start.

[@lizzyann4]

I watched a video last night of two people doing the exact same thing. Those bees were flying everywhere and seemed very upset. Good job keeping your bees calm.

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

Thank you! I am glad you found this video helpful!

[@josephvogel7234]

The bees didn't spend hours traveling on the back of a pickup or trailer to the owner. The stress level is not the same.

[@Ryan.Willis]

These bees hadn’t just gone for a car ride like most Nucs. My Nuc was mad when it got home yesterday. Most Nucs are in new areas after a bumpy car ride.

[@patcummins6036]

Great video and very helpful as I’m picking up my first nuc tomorrow morning. As you probably gathered I’m new to bee keeping. I’m in Australia and we’re into a pretty hot summer already.

[@colinhorn1]

Really useful video thanks, am waiting for my NUC to arrive late April, most surprising thing to me was how docile the bees were.

[@cristinam8600]

This was so helpful. Thank you.

[@ricardodominguez3785]

Great class ! Thank you.

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

You are welcome, thank you for watching!

[@demagechen]

Thank you, its really helpful.

[@camilojames1]

Hey guys thanks for the videos, very helpful

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

I am very glad that you found this video helpful, that's our goal! Thanks for letting us know!

[@spirestocksnotification6710]

Great looking queen!

[@josephsullivan2774]

Great video. Thanks.

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

You are welcome, I am glad you enjoyed it!

[@DonnaHansen]

Don’t you set up the feeder?

[@selbar1]

I understand that when installing a nuc you keep them in same sequence however i noticed you flipped the frames around when transferring. So as long as the frames are in same order the side of the frame doesnt matter. Newbee question sorry.

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

Good question, the main key is to keep brood together and food on the outside, so if a frame is flipped in most cases this will not change that. This is most important when installing a nuc in the spring when cold temps could require bees to warm the brood, if it's split they can't do their job. In summer months the brood can actually be split, sometimes even adding frames of comb between to speed the expansion of the brood nest. Hope that helps, happy beekeeping!

[@rogeremeadows]

Excellent video. Am starting my first hive soon. Do jean pants protect a person enough to get by not ordering a full suit?

[@anthonylangley8717]

I wear blue jeans, heavy socks, a long-sleeved shirt, AND a full coverall bee suit. The back of my veil is just mesh, not protected, so I drape a hand towel around the back of my neck before putting the veil on. I’ve been working with bees for the last 43 years, and have never regretted being overprotected.

[@KevW-z7z]

​@@anthonylangley8717sissy

[@KevW-z7z]

What is the foundation he talks about?

[@starsabergaming]

Wax foundation installed by the bee keeper into the frames to help jump start the bees progress towards building it out some can be plastic but most bee keepers use wax foundation

[@puritanbob]

No feeding? No entrance reducer?

[@josephvogel7234]

Fail...Fair. Fail!

[@swannest1269]

Interesting that you don’t feed sugar syrup and pollen patties to your Nucs. I was taught by the local BeeKeepers Club to feed the Nucs until they are producing honey because the foraging in our Colorado Spring is often poor.

[@josephvogel7234]

Most do feed a new NUC. Have your water source in place too.

[@KevW-z7z]

​@@josephvogel7234tap water ok?

[@TatyanaFey]

I used your other video for successfully installing a new package of bees. I noticed on both videos that you have an indent on the side of your hives inner cover. Judging by the size of the opening, it looks like a second entrance into the hive, which can be used or closed by the way one slides the outer cover. Is my assumption correct, or it is made just for ventilation (or it's both)? I am a novice, but as I understand it is a good idea to have two entrances to the hive, even just one of them is used from time to time. Thank you.

[@masonspencer9492]

You are right on both accounts! It can serve as a secondary entrance as well as ventilation.

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

Yes, this is just for ventilation, but of the outer cover is positioned correctly the bees can us it as an upper entrance.

[@davidsoloninka7742]

What are one or two positive points pertaining to a "package"...( I understand the positive points regarding a Nuc) Thx

[@TheKpw1996]

Cheaper

[@sconner1453]

Depends on the time of year. It's cheaper and if you are in a warmer climate it may work out easier IF you already have a drawn out hive. But in my experience packages are just as expensive as nucs and show up too damn late in the Mid Atlantic. In an area where packages are delivered in April, they are useless for a honey crop first year if your main nectar sources are May (egg laying/brood timeline). But a starting beeK can use a package to watch the hive develop which is cool when starting out and just excited to keep Bees.

[@dbzyone1]

Hi David, that is a great question! When purchasing a package of bees, you experience the entire process of them building out the colony from the beginning. You can watch the colony as they build wax from starter strips or foundation on every frame, see the queen lay the first eggs, learn to recognize the different types of resources being stored, and many other foundational tasks. I recommend this process for anyone that is new to beekeeping. It's a great opportunity to build a strong knowledge base for beekeeping. Since there are fewer bees to contend with, it's often less overwhelming for an introduction to something new and for a new keeper in training. Once those beekeeping fundamentals have been learned, we recommend moving on with splitting colonies or purchasing additional NUCs due to the similar cost and value of receiving frames with built out comb. Frames with built out comb are a tremendous value and time\energy saver for both the bees and the keeper who enjoys honey!

[@josephvogel7234]

I'm afraid that I have to call this video a failure. It is directed toward a first-time beekeeper, so they need to be told what to do with the NUC prior to putting the frames into the deep. The frames normally are installed in the same orientation in the super as they were in the NUC. When and how to feed and water source needs to be addressed.

[@KevW-z7z]

Agree

[@nicollerobleto6097]

If I purchased a nuc in a cardboard box, will the bees still be on frames inside of it? if not, whats the based way to install?

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

Yes, if it is a nuc this means the bees have been living with the frames, store nectar and pollen on those frames as well as the queen laying eggs and the workers raising them to larva and then capped brood. A nuc is a mini working colony. Happy Beekeeping!

[@robertclymer6948]

Hello, so what you are saying is, a Nuc is just a transfer from one hive to another? And you are assuming we know this terminology you are using, sorry I do not. Where can I find a list and explanation for these terms please?

[@Ryan.Willis]

Google sounds like a good friend.

[@robertclymer6948]

@@Ryan.Willis To hell with google. I would like to hear it from a real bee keeper with a successful apairy. David at Barnyard bees is the man i went to for buying all my startups., and gets back to you within a few days.

[@Ryan.Willis]

@@robertclymer6948 I enjoy his content too, very helpful and thorough.

[@devin2999]

@@robertclymer6948to hell w google? You’re on KZbin already

[@badassbees3680]

Yeah I don't want 4 frame Nuc with "growing frame" bs .I don't want to see a Caged Queen, I don't want no old black propolized shut cells frame, I don't want em dumping their Old crapped out Queen on me,I don't want poor population oh they'll be ok when brood hatches, I WANT New Queen that made Those bees with a good population and decent drawn comb ,three frames brood 1 pollen and 1 honey,I'd prefer brood and bees and light on pollen and honey over poor population and not much brood.Oh and I prefer by end of April,not Mid or late May when done missed whole brood cycle and any chance of splitting again or getting any honey..Did I miss anything? I don't wanna buy from non beekeepers and I don't wanna pay overwintered price for a nuc probably made up last week or any other Dirty trick ALOT of beekeepers pull these days sadly lol BTW Good Video 😂😂😂

[@BeekeepingUniversity]

You are right on! You need to know what to look for and only get nucs from experienced beekeepers you can trust. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. Happy Beekeeping!

[@badassbees3680]

@@BeekeepingUniversity I only know cause I've had all the dirty tricks pulled before,now I've had thousands of hrs in the bees and try to help others learn the truth

[@sconner1453]

Preach 🙌

[@accessthroughchrist5620]

Can you text me on my channel , Baddest Bees? I just got a nuc last night. Brought it in the house to keep it protected. They didn't give instructions. Didn't show me inside the nuc. Is that normal?

[@badassbees3680]

@@accessthroughchrist5620 yeah it is sadly. If you buy em they are just reselling them...unless you know the beekeeper, then you can see..just feed them until all combs drawn and they have food stored on a frame and some on brood frame tops or corners and you'll be fine probably

[@cornerstonehoneybees2525]

I was about to recommend this video - until you talked about breaking up the brood nest with blank frames. That is a bad, bad, HORRID thing to do. Especially when talking to new beekeepers.