After reading, and reading, and reading Bernard's method of a compact brood nest, I'm thinking I want to try a hive this way, but I have problems and questions.
~One is it's very hard to get a real Buckfast queen, much less bee package, here in TX. How would Italians work? Any other breeds that could work?
~I have an opportunity to buy a 10 frame hive right now, in a Lang deep with mutt bees. Why can't this work with a Lang deep? I can't buy a deeper hive here.
Can't I just use 6-7 frames with a following board? A deep frame has about 8000 cells (5.1 mm).
~How would this be overwintered here in the warm south, in just the deep box? Would it need a super of honey? Would a QE be used during the winter if a 2nd box was put on top during the winter? Would the following board be used all year round with just 6-7 frames?
While these questions are primarily directed at Bernhard, I welcome anyone's response, especially experience beeks here in the south.
~One is it's very hard to get a real Buckfast queen, much less bee package, here in TX. How would Italians work? Any other breeds that could work?
~I have an opportunity to buy a 10 frame hive right now, in a Lang deep with mutt bees. Why can't this work with a Lang deep? I can't buy a deeper hive here.
Can't I just use 6-7 frames with a following board? A deep frame has about 8000 cells (5.1 mm).
~How would this be overwintered here in the warm south, in just the deep box? Would it need a super of honey? Would a QE be used during the winter if a 2nd box was put on top during the winter? Would the following board be used all year round with just 6-7 frames?
While these questions are primarily directed at Bernhard, I welcome anyone's response, especially experience beeks here in the south.