HI Pete & All

I produce several nucs each year, as swarm prevention in May/June  
using purchased cells, and sell a few.  The ones I keep get a second 4  
frame box, thanks to Mike Palmer.  Except for the honey supers that I  
add during the first summer, these nucs stay in the 4 over 4 setup  
until the following spring.  Their first full season, after being  
moved into standard boxes in April/May, is usually their best year  
production wise.  I do not introduce mated queens into my hives but  
sometimes use one of my new nucs to merge with a hive having  
problems.  Mike's advice as I understand it, however, is to nuc any  
non-producing hives rather than trying to nurse them along.

Bob Darrell
Caledon Ontario
Canada
44N80W

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