Overwintering nucs

[Rover Girl]

Thinking about overwintering a couple of wooden nucs; what is the optimum amount of bees and stores i should have. I have a couple of nucs with laying queens at the moment; one with around a seam and a half of bees and the other other with barely a seam.

 

[biglongdarren]

Have you any other stronger hives that you can take bees from and add to these nucs,a frame of emerging brood for now in each would be a start maybe?
And you could also dummy board them down,narrow the door space for them too,
Darren

 

[Elaine]

To give the bees the best chance you should make sure they are well insulated. We have successfully overwintered very small colonies (1.5 frames of bees last September) but they are in a very warm hive.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Separating Payne's poly (brood) boxes

Sorry: mispost.

While I'm on the subject, though, I think along the lines of what Elaine says you can overwinter almost anything in one of their poly nucs (maybe with a bit of extra insulation in the roof area.)

 

[Hivemaker.]

To give the bees the best chance you should make sure they are well insulated. We have successfully overwintered very small colonies (1.5 frames of bees last September) but they are in a very warm hive.

Keeping them warm is important, we over winter queens in very warm wooden boxes along with approx a cupful of bees.

 

[Dadnlad]

Thinking about overwintering a couple of wooden nucs; what is the optimum amount of bees and stores i should have. I have a couple of nucs with laying queens at the moment; one with around a seam and a half of bees and the other other with barely a seam.

How about if neither nuc increases beyond 5 frames (brood+stores) by end of autumn, split a brood box in half with a sheet of thin ply/correx and add one nuc to each half, with celotex/kingspan in a super above ?

The theory is they jointly create enough warmth to overwinter - which separately they wouldn't

 

[Hawklord]

How about if neither nuc increases beyond 5 frames (brood+stores) by end of autumn, split a brood box in half with a sheet of thin ply/correx and add one nuc to each half, with celotex/kingspan in a super above ?

The theory is they jointly create enough warmth to overwinter - which separately they wouldn't

Great idea, what about doing that now?

 

[chipper]

The nucs have plenty of time to build up, just give alittle syrup whenever the weather is poor...and keep them warm in the winter

 

[Finman]

.
I cannot believe my eyes that you experienced beeks encourage a beginner to overwinter 1 frame nucs. It is quite impossible colony even in summer. That is not realistic.

My experience is that 3 frame colony is minimum even in summer. It is a unit, which can grow and and make lsrge enough brood areas....in summer. During long cool spring losses of bees is big and 3 frame nuc is too small to build up.

 

[stephenpug]

Would it not be easier to unite them now

 

[Hawklord]

There is plenty of time for these nucs to build up before the end of the season. I would wait and see how big they are in another month or 2.

 

[Rover Girl]

Thanks

Thank you all for good and various advice. I am keen to experiment and learn and will try to overwinter at least one of them taking on board what has been said. I will build them up with more bees from busy hives. Many thanks

 

[Dishmop]

I cannot believe my eyes that you experienced beeks encourage a beginner to overwinter 1 frame nucs. It is quite impossible colony even in summer. That is not realistic.

Time will tell.

 

[Rover Girl]

Ta

 

[Dishmop]

I think that warmth is the main thing you should look at.
I packed some of that big bubble bubble wrap around mine. Just poked it between the hives and bushes and laid a piece of Kingspan on top of the hives.

 

[irishguy]

.
I cannot believe my eyes that you experienced beeks encourage a beginner to overwinter 1 frame nucs. It is quite impossible colony even in summer. That is not realistic.

My experience is that 3 frame colony is minimum even in summer. It is a unit, which can grow and and make lsrge enough brood areas....in summer. During long cool spring losses of bees is big and 3 frame nuc is too small to build up.

I have a nuc now with no frames. Its a swarmed queen with handful of bees. She's starting to lay now thou and has some brood. Will this nuc build up in time for winter ?

 

[oliver90owner]

The question which comes to my mind is : Are you wishing to take them through the winter for the colony in spring, or to over-winter a couple of queens with a view to using them to retrieve any winter mishaps in the main colonies?

There might be some differences to perceive within the replies received - Hivemaker and Finman per eg.

That is where the subtleties are important. Not understanding the goals of the OP just leads to factual replies, which (as I see it), are likely to be of little help for an OP who is just wishing to 'experiment'. Even experimentation requires some forward planning.

To sort out any sensible experiment requires at least some standard starting point.

 

[oliver90owner]

I have a nuc now with no frames. Its a swarmed queen with handful of bees. She's starting to lay now thou and has some brood. Will this nuc build up in time for winter ?

Projecting a time line would be a good start. Defining 'handful' might be good. Whether you are able to intervene in a positive manner is another. Having a crystal ball might also help.