Installing a Nucleus Honeybee Hive

Congrats on your honeybee hive! Below you'll find instructions and reminders for the installation of your nucelus hive using a Pro Nuc style box.

If you are a more visual learner watch this video by Randy Oliver or this Instagram video we created.

Once you arrive at your apiary, take the nucleus hive and set it on top of the hive that it will be installed into, and then open the Pro Nuc's entrance so that the bees can begin to fly. Do not leave your nuc closed (yes, people have done this and it's very sad).

You can then leave your nucleus hive alone for a couple days, and it will be able to take care of itself. Check the weather report and see when it seems like the weather will cooperate for the installation. Ideally: Sunny and over 60 degrees, 55 degrees minimum unless you’re experienced and can be very fast.

When you are ready to install the nuc into your hive (do it when it's warm enough that the foragers are flying, leaving you with far less bees to deal with in the nuc):

• Set the nuc next to the hive, remove the lid from the hive (not the nuc), and remove six frames (5 for the frames from the nuc, and 1 extra so you have space to work). 

• If you are using a frame feeder, fill the frame feeder with syrup.

• Open the nuc.

• Transfer the frames one by one from the nuc into your hive. Keep the frames in the same order they were in in the nuc to minimize the possibility of squishing bees.

• If the weather is good (ideally 60+ degrees, not rainy), you can check the frames for eggs, larvae, and capped brood as you transfer them into your hive. There should be a mix of all three. You should also see some honey. The amount of honey in the nuc will give you a clue as to how much/quickly you will need to feed them for maintenance/survival. As I said above, I recommend feeding immediately to help them draw comb. I recommend that your feeder hold at least 1 gallon of syrup, or you may have to refill it daily.

• Once all of the frames have been transferred from the nucleus hive, push the frames together tightly, and then add the sixth frame that you removed into the outermost position in the nuc (frame location 1 or 10, depending on how you moved the frames around). Squeeze the frames tight one more time, so that the bees don't add too much propolis between frames and you end up not being able to move them.

• When inspecting, moving frames, or inserting frames, always start from the outside whenever possible. The queen is usually somewhere in the middle of the box, so if you always work starting from the outside, your chances of accidentally killing her due to a lack of space or vision are significantly reduced.

• Replace the hive lid

• Walk away and reward yourself in whatever way feels appropriate.