Wikipedia: Nucs, or Nucleus Colonies, are small honey bee colonies created from larger colonies. The term refers both to the smaller size box and the colony of honeybees within it. The name is derived from the fact that a nuc hive is centered around a queen - the nucleus of the honey bee colony.

I got a nuc! Had a few adventures in getting it. First, it was delayed. The worker bees killed the queen before I even got the package. So I had to wait a week for the bee company to orient a new queen to my little hive. Good thing that happened there not here, as I am a little short of queens.

When I got the package from a friend who picked it up for me, we lifted it up and accidentally picked up the lid a little. About a dozen bees got out, one of which stung me on the forehead. My first sting.

Following the instructions, I put the bees on site, pulled off the opening, and let the box sit. I think this lets the bees get acquainted with their new land. Today I am going to take frames out of the cardboard box they were given to me in and put them in my hive. Hopefully I won't get stung again! Hopefully the bees survived, living out of their cardboard box! Hopefully the queen isn't dead! Hopefully... etc., etc... Now it begins!