[buckethat]

I suffered some bad losses this year on my hives and now am thinking of over wintering nucs so I dont have to buy bees if this happens in the future. My question is can this be done ib the cold winters of MN or is it not possible? Any advice would be appreciated I dont know if I need double deep nuc or if I can do singles also do you need to feed them in the winter? Just some questions I have
Thanks in advance
Sam

 

[Michael Bush]

Re: Wintering nucs in MM

Michael Palmer and Kirk Webster are doing it in Vermont. I don't think it gets any colder except maybe in North Dakota...

Feeding in winter is problematic. Moisture is one of the issues in overwintering and feeding syrup causes moisture. In my experience you need to stop thinking in terms of feeding DURING winter. Think in terms of feeding them early enough that they have capped stores going into winter. Or at worst, give them dry sugar or candy boards that they can eat during winter without contributing to any moisture issues. Try a search on here on wintering nucs or overwintering nucs and you can find many discussions.

 

[Adrian Quiney WI]

Re: Wintering nucs in MM

Sam, to back up Michael's point it can be done and it is not too hard. I am just east of the metro. This video gives you a picture of my set-up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MatoOA9TapA

 

[buckethat]

Re: Wintering nucs in MM

Adrian, do you put any sugar in the nucs at.all I see you insulate them some on the ends what is the piece that was on the top looked like paper. Do yo put anything in for moisture or top vent them at all

 

[Adrian Quiney WI]

Re: Wintering nucs in MM

Sam, that is a FBIC ( A feed bag inner cover). The FBIC goes under a 2 inch piece of styroafoam. There is an auger hole 3 inches from the top of the box that serves to vent air and as an exit on a warm day. At Thanksgiving I further reduce that entrance down to about a third of its area with a cut-down plastic wine cork. This March I added some sugar, in previous years I haven't had to.

 

[funwithbees]

Re: Wintering nucs in MM

Adrian, nice looking bees. What was the % of loss this year so far? When do you usually make them up and how many frames of brood to start?
Nick

 

[Adrian Quiney WI]

Re: Wintering nucs in MM

Nick, thanks. I lost 3 out of 39 over winter. I follow Mel Disselkoen's method for starting them, and Mike Palmer's methods for the growing and use of nucs.
In June I start them with 2-3 frames of sealed brood (a frame having 50% or greater sealed brood on it), a queen cell on one of the frames, and a frame of honey in a 5 frame box. as soon as the queen is mated and laying I add a second box and grow them to overwinter.

 

[Beeonefarms]

Re: Wintering nucs in MM

cant believe it snowed again here in wisconsin... keep up the informative videos....

Randy Oliver Mckinney