A strange question?

> It does not make sense?

It does not make sense. They winter fine in mediums. The bigger issue is how to get the bees in the deeps into your mediums. Assuming you don't want to buy new boxes, and assuming five deep frames, I would fill the bottom box with mediums, minus those five frames (in other words, in a ten frame medium box I would put five medium frames) and then the second box. If you have some scrap wood and you are handy, cut something to fill the first 3 1/2" of the bottom box where the frames are missing. If not, then leave it and the bees will just build 3 1/2" of comb on the bottoms of the deep frames. Put the deeps in the second box over the empty space in the box below. Fill it out with mediums. as you add space, move the drawn combs in the 2nd box to the empty space in the bottom box, add a box. Put the deeps back on top. Another option is to buy a five frame nuc and cut the top 3" off and put it on top for a shim and then use any old board as a lid to the shim and another lid to the gap on the side of the shim.

Pullman has some pretty WINDY winters! I worked there for a while doing construction on the campus. I'd have to say Sandpoint is a little colder and less wind. But the specific area I live, we did have some pretty nasty wind come through that brought some decent snowdrifts. We do not have any trees on our land, all field!

Isn't small winter clusters better to have for wintering than large clusters? I actually tried to get carniolans for this reason... I do plan on giving them some wind breaks by stacking straw bales around them and putting tarps over them.

I do plan on making up the difference by adding more mediums, like shinbone said.

Thanks for the input on this, fellas. I'm going to give the mediums a try this year and see if they overwinter. If I fail, I will be sure to let you guys know and see if we could determine whether or not it really was from the difference in box size.

I'm happy to see that you gave your input on this one, Mr. Bush! I happened to find your site and have been doing some reading. I've got alot more to read though!

The nucs will contain 5 frames in a cardboard unit. I see what you are talking about Mr. Bush. My question is, how do I eventually eliminate the deep frames from the hive? Do they just eventually quit using them?

Tell you what stack two of your mediums on top of each other place those deep frames in them letting them hang down into the bottom medium the bees will continue to draw comb from the bottom bar down. I do it all the time. in two or three weeks take a picture of one and send it to her to show her what a real frame of brood looks like.

You will still want more room than that for a brood nest in your area. Michael Palmer has told me a couple of times that he uses 2 deeps and a medium in his area.

Over time your queen will move up and you will find those deep frames empty of brood and you can remove them and replace with fraems of your choice. There is some issue with mediums versus deeps for the brood box. but I have not noticed any that are enough of a problem to worry about. I use both and will find my queens will move up from the deep to use mediums as often as they will stay in the deep and seem reluctant to move up.

Use the equipment that suits you the best. and then you will keep the bees that do best in it. that is my advice. You have a long ways to go in finding the best queens reproducing form them and that sort of thing for your apiary.

I use deeps and mediums. the only real problem I see is adding a deep frame to a medium box. adding a medium to a deep has never been a problem and is actually a great source for starter comb. As my apiary grows and I have more hives to work with the deep fraems in two stacked mediums works well also. Just have it hang down between two frames below so the bees keep the comb straight. Fill the rest of the lower box with medium frames.