A nuc, or nucleus colony, is simply a small colony of bees that have been created by a beekeeper to use for a range of purposes. This is where the simplicity ends! To go beyond that definition, it is important to explore some of the reasons that beekeepers want to create smaller colonies - after all much of the season is spent trying to produce and maintain the largest colonies possible to maximise their nectar gathering potential and the subsequent honey crop!Beginning with the format that most beekeepers are familiar with, a nuc can be a half size colony.