[Roger Pell]

I started a 'walk-away' split mid June and it is doing well. But I am concerned about getting it though the Winter. I have been feeding baggies of syrup with HBH on a regular basis and they are now beginning to move up to a second 5-frame nuc box above, but slowly.

Here's my question: Should I put the five frames into a ten frame box so I can add extra drawn frames of honey above before the cold weather sets in. Or can I leave it 'as is' with one five frame box above the other and move into a ten frame box in the Spring.

 

[broodhead]

IMHO you would be better off keeping the twin nuc rather than a std body. Especially when you have the adverse weather coming in the winter. The more bees for the space the warmer it will be. Continue to feed, reduce the entrance and winterize the nuc, prior to the severe cold.

 

[Roger Pell]

Okay. Thanks. How do you winterize a nuc?

Also, Don the Fat Beeman told me that reducing the entrance told me that reducing the entrance contributes to moisture buildup and he recommended wire mesh instead to keep mice out. But then he lives in Georgia and I live in New York. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[broodhead]

Winterizing can be done with a variety of materials . I live in Fl, so do not winterize the same way as you would. Based on where you live I would insulate the top and sides of the nuc so to eliminate the effect of harsh cold, wet, snowy, and icy conditions.
As far as the entrance goes I also use wire mesh I have a feeder jar at the side of the entrance and the remaining space is reduced with screen mesh to eliminate any possible robbing and mice.
On my next nuc boxes I will not have a platform and bottom entrance, it will be completely enclosed with a round opening in the upper front of the nuc. I plan on trying this design with a small screen covered opening in the bottom to act as a small screen bottom board. I did a few hive body's this way recently and I have been impressed with their buildup. Hope this info helps.

 

[Roger Pell]

Thank you very much.

 

[Roger Pell]

Is the notch in the nucs inner cover sufficient for a top entrance, or should I make another to prevent winter condensation?

 

[waynesgarden]

I'll be overwintering side-by-side nucs on top of a standard production hives to utilize some of the excess heat from below. I wrap in tarpaper to keep the wind off. Provide top and bottom ventilation and bees should overwinter fine.

Works well here in Maine and should work fine back in my old home town.(Born in Pearl River.) Maybe I wouldn't bother to wrap in your climate.

I have three-quarter inch holes as a top winter entrance.

Wayne

 

[Roger Pell]

Pearl River is right here in my Town!

Thanks for the advice.

Question: is the notch in the inner cover sufficient for ventilation? I have a spacer on the top box right now to make room for my baggies full of syrup and was wondering if I should make a small top entrance hole with a screen over it and put the cover over that to give added ventilation. Everyone seems to be saying that condensation is a big threat.

Roger

 

[Eyeshooter]

I overwintered a nuc made up of a deep and a medium last winter and it did so well this year, I split it in June and made 2 hives out of it. I treated it the same way I do all of my hives in winter. I blocked the bottom entrance, left a full top entrance and while I do not wrap my hives, as the nuc was the last in line on the stands, I did pile some balsam cuttings up against the exposed back and side of the nuc. I did use a solid bottom board on the nuc. All of my full hives have SBB year round.

Good luck!

 

[Roger Pell]

I just checked my nuc which I started as a walkaway split early in June. These are small cells from Don 'the Fat Beeman.'

I have been feeding them syrup all summer and they now have two 5-frame boxes, one on top of the other, drawn and filled with either brood, honey or syrup. I have about two months left before frost.


So my question now is, should I move them all into one 10 frame medium and put a box of comb and some honey above or maybe just stop feeding them now and let them fend for themselves over winter in the two stacked 5-frame boxes. The fall flow is just beginning here.

 

[jmgi]

Roger Pell,

I would leave them as is for winter, just make sure they have the top box pretty well filled with something, either ripened syrup or honey. The bottom box should be well filled also with a little empty comb in the center for clustering space going into winter. I have 20 five frame nucs going into winter myself, all of them double stacked like yours are. I am going to push them together in two groups of ten, and insulate them as a one unit. This will be my first attempt at wintering nucs. If you only have one nuc to winter, I would put it in a well protected spot and insulate also, just be sure to give them good ventilation with some sort of small upper entrance too. John

 

[KQ6AR]

Why not take another nuc box, & rip it down to medium height so you can fill it with honey frames. You might need to put a racket strap around the 3 stack.

 

[Roger Pell]

Okay. Thanks. I will leave it. I only have one, but I'll wrap it or put a wind break around it and make sure there is ventilation. Thanks for your help.

 

[hipbee]

im pretty new two(3 years) I also keep fat bee mans SC bees. with two months before frost I would move them to a ten frame and add a super and feed feed feed, if you have capped honey from a stroger hive give them some frames of that too. they should have a good chance of wintering.....ive seen nucs with 15lbs of honey survive right next to ten frame hive with two supers of honey starve?!?! so who knows.