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APIDEA

APIDEA makes in Switzerland the mating nuc that became the standard: polystyrene, built-in feeder and room for very few bees. We carry all four parts of the system — nuc (€24.75), super (€15.66), top feeder (€16.49) and mini frame (€1.64).

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Mini mating nuc APIDEA®

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12 reviews

Nuc Super APIDEA®

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2 reviews

APIDEA® mini frame

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2 reviews
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More information about APIDEA

Why a mini nuc rather than a full-size one

Mating a queen in a 5-frame nuc costs you a handful of bees and a frame of brood per attempt. The APIDEA does the same with a cup of young bees and no brood frame at all: shake them in, add the cell, wait. When you raise 20 or 30 queens a season, that difference decides whether you can afford to.

The four parts and what each is for

  • Nuc (€24.75): the complete box, with its mini frames and built-in feeder.
  • Super (€15.66): once the queen starts laying and you want to keep the nuc running rather than breaking it down straight away.
  • Top feeder (€16.49): feeding without opening — and in a mini nuc, opening means losing bees.
  • Mini frame (€1.64): the consumable. They break, they get soiled, you replace them one at a time.

What people get wrong the first time

Two repeated mistakes. One: too few bees. A mini nuc is unforgiving, and below a minimum population they will not look after the cell. Two: opening to check. Every opening costs bees that do not come back, and at this volume it shows. Feed through the top and wait until you see eggs.