[maynard]

Hi all. What methods are those of you using double nuc boxes for overwintering using to feed?

Both with and without supers on?

Before adding supers, adding some sort of can feeder inside the super makes a lot of sense, either on the top bars, or on the inner cover. Have you found a size that maximizes feed (minimizing number of trips to the apiary)? Gallon cans would be nice, but has anyone found any that fit inside the 4 frame supers?

Can I just feed on top of the inner covers with a 10 frame deep on top and add gallon cans over the holes?

This is my first year attempting to overwinter nucs, and I don't want to buy a lot of stuff that doesn't work, so I was hoping to rely on y'all's successes and failures.

Maynard

 

[drtoddh]

Hi, last year I overwintered 4 nucs, lost one. I feed w a frame feeder in the top nuc. In the winter, I placed a 1 inch spacer between the top box and the lid. I basically built a box shaped shim and then laid candy chunks on top of the frames. I then pushed all the nucs together, side by side and placed a piece of 1/2 inch foam across their back sides where the wind hit. The nucs came through well. The one I lost was a late start from Aug.

 

[Beregondo]

I've never had an issue using gallon can inside of 4 frame nuc supers.

If you make each super out of 1x10 lumber, and the nucs 8 1/8" wide, two 1 gallon paint cans can fit inside easily. I buy clean ones at home depot or lowe's.

If for some reason your nuc supers are too narrow, and your double nucs are in divided 10 frame deeps feeding is still simple.
Use a 10 frame deep with a queen excluder between it and the nucs to keep the queens from fighting and again, use gallon cans.

The workers won't fight.

Be sure the exclude is tight to the top of the boxes along the divider so that a queen cn't get under it.
If there is an issue there, a screw and washer work well to keep the excluder pushed down against the edge of the divider or super top edge.

 

[maynard]

I've never had an issue using gallon can inside of 4 frame nuc supers.

If you make each super out of 1x10 lumber, and the nucs 8 1/8" wide, two 1 gallon paint cans can fit inside easily. I buy clean ones at home depot or lowe's.

I bought them from betterbee, and I checked the super against the gallon of paint I had sitting around and it was too small. I'll probably go to home depot and measure their empty cans and see what their diameter is.

If for some reason your nuc supers are too narrow,... Use a 10 frame deep with a queen excluder between it and the nucs ....

I like this. For some reason the queen excluder eluded me. More coffee!

Thanks!

 

[Beregondo]

If you use an excluder and a deep box, DO NOT use a wood bound one, and don't neglect making sure it is tight to the divider. I often screw it ot the divider even if I don't see a problem.

The couple seconds it takes to remove and replace a few times a month is way cheaper than waiting on a new queen being raised, or buying one.

 

[maynard]

I went to home depot and the 1 gallon cans don't fit. I think my supers are made with 1x lumber, the width is 3/4". Making 8 1/8" boxes and subtracting 1 1/2" for the width of the wood leaves 6 5/8" internal width. The cans aren't too much bigger, maybe a quarter inch or so, but they are too big.

Looks like I'll be going the excluder route.

 

[scorpionmain]

Been using the Mann Lake Frame Feeders with caps & ladders in mine.

 

[maynard]

Been using the Mann Lake Frame Feeders with caps & ladders in mine.

Which one? There's the 805 and the 825. It's not really clear (to me at least) what the difference between the two are. I'm assuming volume since one has a slightly lower shipping weight, but...

How's the fit in a 4 frame super? Does it allow three frames comfortably?

Thanks!

 

[zhiv9]

I bought some of these double nuc feeders, but haven't had a chance to try them yet. Page 35. Part DN-1000. Basically a divided top feeder.

http://propolis-etc.ca/Propolis-etc_2013.pdf

 

[scorpionmain]

Which one? There's the 805 and the 825. It's not really clear (to me at least) what the difference between the two are. I'm assuming volume since one has a slightly lower shipping weight, but...

How's the fit in a 4 frame super? Does it allow three frames comfortably?

Thanks!

There is three sizes: 805 = 1 gal, 825 = 1.5 gal, 845 = 2 gal
I use the 1 gal in the double nuc in the supers and can fit 2 frames comfortably in there. You might be able to squeeze a third in there if you try, but I don't want to roll any bees.
I use the 2 gal in my full sized hive.

These have worked well for me. I have to only refill them once a week (unlike jars) and have had no drowning.

 

[maynard]

I bought some of these double nuc feeders, but haven't had a chance to try them yet. Page 35. Part DN-1000. Basically a divided top feeder.

http://propolis-etc.ca/Propolis-etc_2013.pdf

Could you point out which page of the .pdf I should be looking at please? That's a busy catalog!

 

[maynard]

I found it. That's pretty cool. Have you experience a situation where one nuc needed feeding while the other did not?
Can one half of the feeder be closed off?

 

[zhiv9]

I found it. That's pretty cool. Have you experience a situation where one nuc needed feeding while the other did not?
Can one half of the feeder be closed off?

The feeder has two separate halves, so you can just fill one side if only one nuc needs feeding.

 

[maynard]

The feeder has two separate halves, so you can just fill one side if only one nuc needs feeding.

And you don't find the bees occupying the other half building comb and making a mess of things?

 

[WBVC]

I use rapid feeders...work great. No drip,no dead bees.

 

[jaked007]

This is from Micheal Bush, you may find it helpful.
http://bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#BottomBoardFeeder

Jake

 

[zhiv9]

And you don't find the bees occupying the other half building comb and making a mess of things?

As I mentioned, I haven't actually tried them yet. I suppose you could fill the other half with water, or just block it off with some tape or or mesh. I am really not concerned about it.

 

[maynard]

I went to home depot and the 1 gallon cans don't fit. I think my supers are made with 1x lumber, the width is 3/4". Making 8 1/8" boxes and subtracting 1 1/2" for the width of the wood leaves 6 5/8" internal width. The cans aren't too much bigger, maybe a quarter inch or so, but they are too big.

Does anybody see a problem with making supers with smaller than 1x lumber? Using 3/4 nominal would allow paint cans to fit inside without having to mess about with excluders etc.

Beregondo, can you tell what the thickness of the wood your supers are made from is?

 

[zhiv9]

Does anybody see a problem with making supers with smaller than 1x lumber? Using 3/4 nominal would allow paint cans to fit inside without having to mess about with excluders etc.

Beregondo, can you tell what the thickness of the wood your supers are made from is?

The internal dimensions of the supers should be the same regardless of the lumber thickness. Canadian made equipment is all made from 7/8" nominal lumber but the internal dimensions match the 3/4" US made equipment. One box will just overhang the other a little.

 

[Harley Craig]

The internal dimensions of the supers should be the same regardless of the lumber thickness. Canadian made equipment is all made from 7/8" nominal lumber but the internal dimensions match the 3/4" US made equipment. One box will just overhang the other a little.

but it doesn't have to be if you are making them yourself. One could make the short ends a little bit longer and the long wall to the middle out of 1/2 in plywood and have a larger enternal measurement and still have the outside measurement the same.