Are new beekeekers best advised to start with a full colony?

[Patrick Laslett]

Hi All,

Ideal for beginners? Full colonies are being offered in West London and Reading.

Why would you want a full colony in April - rather than a nuc? What are the pros and cons?

On the plus side you get twice as many bees. All you will need to do once you get the box sited in your apiary is to put supers on and if everything is new give them a little feed to draw out the wax in your super frames. If your super frames are already drawn out you won't need to feed. Just stand back and let your bees fill them with honey.

On the down side is the extra cost and an increased risk of swarming. It's not that the bees in a nuc box won't ever swarm, they certainly can - but a colony from a nuc box has to build up its numbers first.

Honey production depends on several factors. A strong colony, a good nectar source, and of course good weather. Buying a full colony early in the season will give you a head start on building up a strong colony.

Some of our beekeepers offering overwintered nucs have none left now. However, some will have 2026 queened nucs available at the end of May.

Happy beekeeping.

Yours,

Patrick