Modified Paynes nuke for queen rearing

[The Drone Ranger]

They look pretty good Graham
Better box than a keiler for overwintering a queen either side

[Adam]

Your cutting is much neater than the one I first did with a curved knife.

Unlike Prakel, I don't have a problem with mesh floors in nucs. A block of plywood in the hole to ease management when used as a double box is a simple and effective solution. I do agree with Prakel that a 3 frame polystyrene nuc using standard frames is probably a good way to raise queens.

If both sides of the box get good queens, you just need to be careful seperating the two colonies into two boxes (if you don't have an out apiary). It can be done though.

My Paynes boxes are original ones without the rotaing disc and the standard entrance is fine for a very full 8 frame colony. (I had one that was so full that a fist-sized clump of bees hung outside the entrance at night as they couldn't all get in!)

[prakel]

Unlike Prakel, I don't have a problem with mesh floors in nucs.

lol, I have a problem with mesh floors in any hives, it's not restricted to nucs! .

[mbc]

...... what I think i will do is add a piece of ply to the bottom (which can be removed) for when I want to return it to normal usage for overwintering bees

I believe small colonies overwinter better without a massive draft along the bottom of the frames anyway, so I have cut out push fit bits of cellotex for all my paynes nucs, a simple oval of cellotex with the edges taped with duct tape which pushes in from the bottom and can be removed for transporting the bees without disturbing them. To keep the lids on I have used simple nuc straps from mannlake, at 50p a pop theyre great, and have the added benefit of keeping the cellotex ovals in place.
Maybe a precisely cut bit of ply would be better than the cellotex because they are often chewed a bit by rodents and I shudder a bit at the thought of all the unbiodegradable material accumulating in the environment.

[mbc]

lol, I have a problem with mesh floors in any hives, it's not restricted to nucs! .

Great for added ventilation when moving bees but apart from this I'm in agreement with you prakel, especially now I've started using oav for varroa control.