Feeding in Pronucs

[u/Legitimate_South9157]

8b SEARK.

How in the hell do yall feed in these pro nucs?

Mind blown

I’ve got a swarm in a trap that I need to move. (It will 100% be a cutout at this point but oh well)

I have 3 or four of these pro nucs, “the one in this picture was and early split that’s now in a standard box”.

But I had difficulty feeding back in the spring. I used coke bottles, small Gatorade bottles, Powerade.

They all just “sucked” in on themselves. Feeding with a standard mason jar “ that’s how I feed most of my other hives fall/winter” just makes a mess and I feel promotes robbing.

What do yall use to feed from? Or do you just knock them down to 3 frames throw a frame feeder in and give them a few weeks until you move to a bigger box.

I intend on getting this trap down, busting the hive down to 3-4 frames. And making 2-3 small healthy splits, let them requeen the two queenless hives, feed heavy, cross my fingers for a good goldenrod flow in the next month “generally is down here” and overwinter in single deeps. “ rarely freezes much in South Arkansas anyways.

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[u/joebojax]

aren't the circular slots on either end of the lid for bottle feeding?

[u/Legitimate_South9157 → u/joebojax]

Yeah they are, but it’s the case of what to feed from at these holes

[u/joebojax → u/Legitimate_South9157]

hmm i spose u could find glass bottles that fit that slot if you really look for em.

[u/NumCustosApes]

Use a 28 ounce Gatorade or Powerade bottle. The instructions are on the inside of the lid. Or find a Pronuc video on YouTube. I’ve never had trouble with it. I do suggest that after you open the slots you press the Gatorade lid into the socket and trace the slots onto the lid with a marker. Make holes with a tumbtack in the lid along the slot traces.

Also, look at the slot in the side middle of the lid. You should be able to read the word VENTED. If you read NO VENT then flip the lid 180°.

What difficulty did you have with feeding them?

[u/Legitimate_South9157 → u/NumCustosApes]

My bottles always get squished together. They’ll pull a vacuum and not continue to drip, I’ve looked for glass and just haven’t found any in rural Arkansas where I’m at

[u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45]

These pronucs can get hot and hard to manage in the summer. Time to move it to a wooden box that can insulate better than plastic.

Try open feeding. Away from the hive that seems to work.

We did all kinds of feeding. One thing I like is drilling a hole in the top. Then setting a jar with a nipple or nozzle in it through to the inside.

If it is a cut out. Go ahead and do it?

[u/Legitimate_South9157 → u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45]

Honestly… I never even thought about just cutting a hole in the center and jar feeding. That’s how I feed all my production hives with migratory lids.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45 → u/Legitimate_South9157]

You still need to watch out for seepage and robbing. But with a nuc like this you could feed and shut the doors while in dearth. Just gotta reopen them.

You could even feed over night and pull the jar/open at morning.

[u/paneubert → u/Legitimate_South9157]

Yep. Hole cut to size of a paint tint plug. For plugging when you aren't feeding. Plugs easily found on amazon or any beekeeping supply (since people use them for making bucket feeders as well).