Dadant US mating nuc 2 compartments

01 · MATERIAL

Solid 20 mm timber, not board

Built from knot-free solid timber 20 mm thick, glued and screwed. Those 20 mm of wall are what hold the thermal inertia through cold spring nights, which is exactly when matings are lost. This is not a cardboard or fibreboard nuc: it weighs 3.5 kg and lasts season after season with the ordinary care any timber gets outdoors.

02 · CONSTRUCTION

Two compartments that stay separate

The vertical partition divides the box into two sealed modules. Each has its own entrance, and the two sit diagonally opposite so the bees do not mistake the door on returning from the mating flight. Each entrance closes independently, so you can work one side while the other stays shut, or move one half populated and the other empty.

03 · FEEDING

A feeder per side, with anti-drowning ramp

Each compartment carries its own feeder with side access and a perforated aluminium angle acting as a ramp: the bees climb, drink and leave without ending up in the syrup. In a small nuc this is no minor detail, because a two-frame population does not recover from a mass drowning. An insulation board sits on top, closed by a telescopic outer lid that fits over the walls and shelters the joint from rain.

04 · COMPATIBILITY

Dadant US format: frames sold separately

It takes four vertical Dadant US half-frames of 257 × 285 mm, two per compartment: each pair is the equivalent of one full brood frame. This is the Dadant US format, with a 48 cm top bar; it does not fit Dadant Blatt frames of 47 cm. Frames are not included and must be ordered separately: you will find the reference among the accessories on this page.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY