Description FAQ’s What is a 5 frame nucleus hive? A 5 frame nucleus hive is a small, established honey bee colony containing five frames of brood, bees, honey and pollen, plus a laying queen bee. It is used to start a full-sized beehive. Is a 5 frame nucleus hive good for beginners? Yes. A 5 frame nucleus hive is the recommended starting option for beginner beekeepers because it already contains brood, food stores and a proven queen, giving a much higher success rate than packages or swarms. What is included in a Libees Honey 5 frame nucleus hive? Each nucleus hive includes five Langstroth frames with brood, bees, honey and pollen, and a freshly mated, marked queen bee bred for temperament, productivity and colony health. Is a 5 frame nucleus hive suitable for a Flow Hive? Yes. A 5 frame nucleus hive is one of the best ways to start a Flow Hive. It provides an established colony with brood, food stores and a laying queen, helping the hive build strength before adding a Flow Super. What size Flow Hive does your nucleus hive fit? Our 5 frame nucleus hives are compatible with 8-frame and 10-frame Flow Hive brood boxes. The frames are transferred directly into your Flow Hive brood box during installation. Are your nucleus hives Varroa mite free? Our nucleus hives are raised in currently Varroa mite-free apiaries and managed with strong biosecurity practices. We monitor hive health closely and follow responsible beekeeping protocols. Do I install the Flow Super straight away? No. The Flow Super should only be added after the colony has fully drawn out the brood box and is strong, typically once 7–8 frames are well populated. Adding a Flow Super too early can slow colony growth. Are your nucleus hives suitable for first-time Flow Hive owners? Yes. Nucleus hives are recommended for first-time Flow Hive owners because they already contain a functioning queen and brood, making them easier to manage than packages or captured swarms. Are your bees gentle enough for backyard Flow Hive use? Our queens are bred for calm temperament, making the colonies well suited to backyard and suburban Flow Hive setups, when managed correctly. Are your bees Varroa resistant? No bees can be claimed as Varroa-resistant. We can only work towards breeding as hygienic traits as possible to support the strongest colonies as possible. However, our queen bee breeding program incorporates U-BeeO-tested hygienic traits, including uncapping and recapping behaviour, which are recognised as supporting future Varroa tolerance and colony resilience. It really is fascinating to watch the bees uncap each cell, check for mites and recap. They are incredible little creatures. What is U-BeeO testing? U-BeeO testing measures hygienic behaviours in honey bees, such as uncapping and recapping brood cells. These traits are associated with improved colony hygiene and are used as part of selective queen breeding programs. What hive types are compatible with your nucleus hives? Our 5 frame nucleus hives are compatible with 8-frame and 10-frame Langstroth hives, Flow Hives, and Long Langstroth hives. The full depth frames are not suitable for Warre Hives or Top Bar Hives. When is the best time to buy a nucleus hive? The best time to purchase a nucleus hive is during Spring and Summer, when nectar and pollen are abundant and colonies can build strength before winter. Do you ship nucleus hives? No. For colony health and biosecurity reasons, all nucleus hives must be collected directly from our Gympie apiary. Do you use chemicals in your hives? Our bees are managed using chemical-free beekeeping methods, with a focus on natural hive health, biosecurity and selective breeding. We will revisit this when varroa arrives in our breeding area.
