I am totally new to beekeeping, I should have my first nuc in a week or two. But I want to make sure I do everything right. First - I keep reading that you only need two deeps on the bottom if you live where winter gets cold. Growing up in Buffalo and Central Wisconsin, I am wondering if I have a pretty severe idea of what a cold winter is. I live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and the winters seem pretty darn warm to me. Would I be okay with a one deep and one medium? Or should I just use two deeps? I just want to make sure that I give my coming bees the best chance possible. Second - I want to put horizontal wires on my frames. It seems like everything that I read says I should. But I can't find out EXACTLY which wire (or nylon or whatever) I should be using. And where to get it. Should I just weave it in and out of the holes? I read somewhere about eyelets, but where would I put them? How to I get the wire good and tight? Now I just read about pegs....I think I want to stick with wire...if anyone has any ideas or information I sure would appreciate the help. I might be having just a bit of a panic attack right now.
Shanny
Y
google the frame wireing thing. i'm pretty sure i remember several instructional videos on that.
wired in the brood chamber is fine. before you do it in honey supers know how you are going to extract. wired frames for crush and strain or comb honey are a PIA i think.
In your area, either will work. Two deeps or one deep and one medium. Start your bees in one box only and add the other when it is 80% drawn out and full of bees.
Your location is important in asking questions about bees, so please put it in your profile. Being in the Shenandoah valley, you should be within driving distance of Chatham, Va. Drive down there and talk to Mark about wiring. He can tell you all about it and he sells the wire.
CHATHAM, VIRGINIA
Dadant & Sons Inc
Manager: Mark Bennett
820 Tightsqueeze Industrial Road
P.O. Box 1219
Chatham, VA 24531-1219
Toll Free Order Number: 1-800-220-8325
Phone: 434-432-8461
Fax: 434-432-8463
Hours – Monday – Friday
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since you're just starting out, seriously consider all mediums. read michael bush's site.
You have great intentions but you will do things that dont work out well. That's okay. There are many ways to be successful with bees, just keep trying until you find what works for you ;)
Quote from: shannylboy on April 21, 2012, 08:28:57 PM
I am totally new to beekeeping, I should have my first nuc in a week or two.
But I want to make sure I do everything right. First - I keep reading that you only need two deeps on the bottom if you live where winter gets cold. .... I live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and the winters seem pretty darn warm to me.
http://www.isep.org/students/directory/maps/52map.jpg (http://www.isep.org/students/directory/maps/52map.jpg)
lowest temp in Virgiania 26F = -3C. WOW! Keep clothes on!
Don't worry about winter. Nuc is fast to develop compared to package. Take care of swarming and things go well.
Try to nurse the nuc so that do not feed it. Take care that it has allways one full food frame minimum, but then don't feed it. let it take food from nature.
Then follown the natural build up and learn.
restrict the bee room to such size what bees can keep warm. use movable wall and give more frames when the colony grows..
Shanny
You can order the eyelets and wire from your local bee supply. You will also need an eyelet installation tool to install the eyelets into
the holes in the sides of your frames and some 1/2 or 3/4 inch nails to anchor the ends of the wire to the frames.
There are helpfull video's on You Tube on how to install the wire in the frames.
Good luck
John
One of the long time beeks in my local organization swears he's never used an eyelet with the vert wire. Of course another does use them. Others use staples.
Of course there are guys that are assembling hundreds of frames every year.