[WRLCPA]

Thinking out loud here, I have 10, two story very strong queen right Nuc's. I made them this way because I am concerned that trying to overwinter as single's would not work. I am a third year transplant to SC from Vermont and am still trying to figure things out.

My question is could I successfully overwinter two queen right nuc's on top of each other with a QE between them? For that, how about 3 or 4? Then simply split them in the spring?

 

[My-smokepole]

I have had problems keeping queens in a over each other. Much prefer to put them side by side,

 

[WRLCPA]

I have had problems keeping queens in a over each other. Much prefer to put them side by side,

Thanks Man. My weather here is different than Ohio, Duhhh! So my concern is over wintering in single five frame nuc's. I know single 10 framers make it fine. I guess I am getting greedy and want to double my Nuc's before winter.

 

[JasonA]

I'm in NC about 2.5 hrs NW of you. A single 5 fame nuc overwinters just fine here. You shouldn't have any issues with a single 5 frame nuc. If the nuc is packed feed it until it has 2 or 3 frames of capped stores. you should be good. The bigger problem will be spring as they starve fast. With you being farther south and closer to coast you may need to watch through winter and make sure they are OK. Keep an eye on them. They also swarm fast if they are strong.

 

[WRLCPA]

I'm in NC about 2.5 hrs NW of you. A single 5 fame nuc overwinters just fine here. You shouldn't have any issues with a single 5 frame nuc. If the nuc is packed feed it until it has 2 or 3 frames of capped stores. you should be good. The bigger problem will be spring as they starve fast. With you being farther south and closer to coast you may need to watch through winter and make sure they are OK. Keep an eye on them. They also swarm fast if they are strong.

This is awesome news. I think i am going to get even more greedy and put another Nuc on top and see if they will draw it out during Cotton. The hives have 1000's of archer's of Cotton around them. With the cotton flow lasting through August, I might be able to over winter 30 strong single five frame Nuc's. Thanks for the encouragement! I would never ever think of this in Vermont

 

[JWPalmer]

WRLCPA, I am even further north in Richmond. I overwintered 9 single five frame nucs last year. Lost one in the spring to starvation. I keep mason jar feeders of 2:1 on all winter long and supplement with sugar brick. You will do fine in SC.

 

[WRLCPA]

WRLCPA, I am even further north in Richmond. I overwintered 9 single five frame nucs last year. Lost one in the spring to starvation. I keep mason jar feeders of 2:1 on all winter long and supplement with sugar brick. You will do fine in SC.

Awesome, planning it out now. I was worried about syrup on through the winter. Another No No in Vermont. I guess I ain't in "Vermont" any more.

 

[beemandan]

And I’m south of you. I have overwintered single deep nucs successfully but must admit that they require extra attention. They can starve, it seems, practically overnight. An exaggeration but not by much. My preference is to overwinter double deep nucs.
Don’t get too greedy. It can come at a high price.

 

[WRLCPA]

And I’m south of you. I have overwintered single deep nucs successfully but must admit that they require extra attention. They can starve, it seems, practically overnight. An exaggeration but not by much. My preference is to overwinter double deep nucs.
Don’t get too greedy. It can come at a high price.

It's good to know I can feed syrup year around. Moisture has always been my main killer.

 

[snapper1d]

I am in the same plant hardiness zone here and over winter in 5 frame nucs with mason jar feeders on top all winter also and do fine.

 

[WRLCPA]

I am in the same plant hardiness zone here and over winter in 5 frame nucs with mason jar feeders on top all winter also and do fine.

Awesome, I appreciate the feedback. I am glad I tried this, this year. I enjoy messing with the bee's but don't so much like the honey producing and selling side, So I opted to try and sell bee's instead. Next spring will be my first shot at selling bee's

 

[grozzie2]

all you folks down south worried about wintering 5 framers. I'm a tad farther north up at 50N. I winter 5 frame deeps, and, I also winter on 5 half frame deeps (4 sets to a 10 frame box).

 

[Saltybee]

Don’t get too greedy. It can come at a high price.

So true. So hard to remember.

 

[WRLCPA]

all you folks down south worried about wintering 5 framers. I'm a tad farther north up at 50N. I winter 5 frame deeps, and, I also winter on 5 half frame deeps (4 sets to a 10 frame box).

Wow, I used to live right at the 45n parallel in Vermont (Michael Palmer country) and I would never consider that. Maybe thats why it is so hard for me to consider it now in the south

 

[WRLCPA]

So true. So hard to remember.

Greed in the sense that I will try to build out more boxes in the next six weeks. Doubt it will happen, but a guy can try!

 

[JWPalmer]

Beekeeping in the South is way different than the North. Most important is that the bees are active all winter long and will consume syrup any day the temps get near 50°. Since the temps rarely dip into the single digits (where I am) insulation and quilt boxes are not needed. I do put a piece of foam board inside the telescoping top but that is it. In Richmond, I am broodless for just about 2 months with my carni/caucasian bees. Brooding stops by the end of October and starts back up in early January. This is something to consider when raising nucs. As Dan pointed out, a nuc can starve out practically overnight once brood rearing begins. I put pollen sub patties in the hives when I do my Christmas OAV treatment. Also give them a second sugar brick for those cold spells we seem to get late Jan. into Feb. Use a pollen sub feeder and have UltraBee or similar powder available. My bees tore through about 10# of sub during the winter. Any day warm enought to fly had bees in the feeder

My nuc setup is a SBB with plastic insert, deep nuc body,.3/4" feeding shim w/ upper entrance, inner cover with screen over hole to support pint mason jar, medium super to cover, and then the telescoping top with 1/2" foam insert. A few of my hives that I need to split have two mediums over a deep, so I will be making a few double medium nucs also this year.

 

[grozzie2]

Wow, I used to live right at the 45n parallel in Vermont (Michael Palmer country) and I would never consider that. Maybe thats why it is so hard for me to consider it now in the south

Difference between us and those inland, we are on the coast, still have a real winter, but, we dont get the mountains of snow here. When precip comes it is blowing in from the ocean and comes in the form of rain most of the winter. We usually only have a couple weeks of snow on the ground. Go inland a short ways, or up into high country, whole different story. The ski hill is only a short (15 min) drive away, and they have snow all winter, lots and lots of it. The top half of the mountain is above the freezing level all winter, while those of us down at sea level hover just above it most of the winter.

 

[WRLCPA]

Beekeeping in the South is way different than the North. Most important is that the bees are active all winter long and will consume syrup any day the temps get near 50°. Since the temps rarely dip into the single digits (where I am) insulation and quilt boxes are not needed. I do put a piece of foam board inside the telescoping top but that is it. In Richmond, I am broodless for just about 2 months with my carni/caucasian bees. Brooding stops by the end of October and starts back up in early January. This is something to consider when raising nucs. As Dan pointed out, a nuc can starve out practically overnight once brood rearing begins. I put pollen sub patties in the hives when I do my Christmas OAV treatment. Also give them a second sugar brick for those cold spells we seem to get late Jan. into Feb. Use a pollen sub feeder and have UltraBee or similar powder available. My bees tore through about 10# of sub during the winter. Any day warm enought to fly had bees in the feeder

My nuc setup is a SBB with plastic insert, deep nuc body,.3/4" feeding shim w/ upper entrance, inner cover with screen over hole to support pint mason jar, medium super to cover, and then the telescoping top with 1/2" foam insert. A few of my hives that I need to split have two mediums over a deep, so I will be making a few double medium nucs also this year.

Thanks JW. With all that I have learned from this thread, I am confident I can manage overwintering in single Nuc's, Knocking on wood!!!! I got real good overwintering in Vermont where moisture was the biggest issue. I will continue using quilt's especially since I will have syrup on them all winter. Might be overkill, but thats OK