Starting from a Nuc

Starting from a nucleus colony (nuc) is one of the fastest ways to get a Primal Bee hive going. A nuc is essentially a full colony in miniature — five frames with a laying queen, brood, nurse bees, and food stores.

We recommend leaving the old nuc frames behind and letting the bees start fresh on new Primal Bee foundation. Old comb often carries pests, pathogens, or pesticide residues that weaken colonies. Thanks to the hive's thermal efficiency, well-fed colonies will build new comb rapidly.

Before You Begin

What you'll need:

• Your nuc (typically 5 frames with bees, brood, and a laying queen)
• Wired wax or plastic foundation in your Primal Bee nest frames
• Temporary queen cage (clip style works well)
• PPE (gloves, suit, etc.)
• Smoker and hive tool
• Feather and/or soft bee brush
• Dense sugar syrup for feeding (4 parts sugar to 1 part water)

Timing:

Same as any transfer — spring is ideal, and you can start any time temperatures stay above 50°F (10°C). Pick a calm, warm day.

Step 1: Prepare Your Primal Bee Nest

Set up seven Primal Bee nest frames with foundation. Place the follower board in the center with three nest frames on one side (active nest) and four on the other side (storage for growth). Temporarily remove the 3 frames from the active side to give yourself space to install the bees.

Install the bottom board screen, varroa tray, and attach entrance reducers with holes facing outward.

Step 2: Secure the Queen

Locate and cage the queen from the nuc. Set her aside safely while you transfer the workers. Getting the queen into the Primal Bee hive is the key step — once she's in, the rest of the colony will follow.

Step 3: Transfer the Bees

Shake or brush all worker bees from the nuc frames directly into the 3-frame side of the nest. Work frame by frame. Any bees left outside will find their way in through sensing queen and worker orientation pheromones.

Step 4: Release the Queen and Replace Frames

Release the queen in a safe spot inside the hive. Then carefully reinsert the nest frames you removed. Take your time — you don't want to crush bees.

Step 5: Configure the Nest and Feed

The bees start on the 3-frame side — this is their active nest area. Once bees are using 75-100% of the frames they have access to and brood comb is building, move the follower board one frame at a time.

Feed immediately with dense sugar syrup (4 parts sugar to 1 part water) through the feeder lid. The high sugar concentration stimulates the bees to quickly draw new comb on the foundation so the queen can start laying.

What About the Leftover Nuc Frames?

The nuc frames left behind — if they contain eggs or young enough larvae — along with about one cup of nurse bees found on top of the brood area can actually generate a new queen and repopulate your nuc box for future use. This is called a walk-away split.

Post-Installation Care

After 15 days, look for fresh brood (capped brood, larvae, or eggs). Since you transferred an established queen with her workers, you should see brood development quickly.

Can't find the queen? Watch the entrance. Bees flying in with pollen baskets means they're feeding larvae — that's your sign the queen is laying.

For detailed monitoring and ongoing management guidance, see the Transferring from an Existing Hive guide in this section.