Hi Tom
 
Re: use of Apidea nucs.
 
I have used them a few times and there a few problems:
 
1.  the queen excluder that stops the lady getting into the fondant is a bit
doggy so watch out.  Also they sometimes build comb in this back chamber.
 
2.  the number of bees, a cup full is not much! So they can have trouble
maintaining the temperature.
 
3.  they are supposed to push the queen out quicker to mate but I have had
failures if the weather a bit off.  Also I have read that the queens from them
do not mate so well, and so do not store so much sperm - this means they need
requeening sooner.
 
Just a few thoughts from a beginner in the Midlands of England where the wet
weather sometimes make queen rearing nigh on impossible and in a small
polystyrene box even more doggy.
 
Regards Bob