To wire or not to wire? that is the question

[Kate Atchley]

Those of you using Lyson MiniPlus nucs, or similar ones with frames larger than Apideas, do you wire them? I haven't bothered with the first few I've set up but am wondering if this was a mistaken short-cut.

However, having drilled cell-holder holes in the frame bars I have now made covers ... two sizes for running the MPs as single or double units. I might even make those little flaps over the holes as in Apideas.

Must have more time than sense you may say!

Kate
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[prakel]

I think that they're much better wired but having said that not all of mine have been done. They're small enough not to demand wiring but it does make for a nicer job if they are. All I'd add is that I'd only ever wire them (or any frame for that matter) with stainless wire. Anything else is a false economy.

[Kate Atchley]

I think that they're much better wired but having said that not all of mine have been done. They're small enough not to demand wiring but it does make for a nicer job if they are. All I'd add is that I'd only ever wire them (or any frame for that matter) with stainless wire. Anything else is a false economy.

Thanks Prakel. Will wire the rest ... with stainless!

[mbc]

I wire mine, much better.
I must say thanks to you Kate for the cut out in the frame suggestion, I have now routed out a conical depression on each side of the middle of the frames on all them that weren't occupied and have found it so convenient and secure for placing cells that I'm hoping to convert all of my mp frames when they become bee less and come back again in. I highly recommend this for anyone who uses the mp format.

[Kate Atchley]

Thanks mpc.
BTW I found this neat drill attachment online and it makes light work of drilling cell-holder holes in the frame bars: XTools 3pc Large Cone High Speed Steel Step Hole Cutting Drill Bit Set. Has to have a big reputation to boast so long a name! You'll find in on the usual online megamarket sites.
Kate

[Kate Atchley]

Lest Gavin kick me off the forum for starting yet another thread, let me ask another question here, of you wizards.

It's been bothering me that newly emerged virgin queens are known to have voracious appetites, so presumably need a balanced mix of food to grow to maturity and develop their ovaries, but here I am setting up mating nucs with young bees, adding about-to-hatch Q cells or newly emerged queens, and all they will have to be fed on is fondant.

How's that for unbalanced food for our precious colony mothers?

Maybe I'll start adding some chunks of comb with pollen to the feeders to bridge the gap until the young bees start to forage (and here in the NW that's an unpredictably luxury these days, with our appalling cold, wet weather)?

Kate