Hi Folks,
I've watched lots of videos about wintering hives in the north. I've managed to winter 1 TBH, and now have 1 TBH, 4 double deep Langs. (one 8 frame wide & three 10 frame w.) My Nuc is now 2 boxes high - with 10 full deep frames. All the info I've found has 2 Nucs wrapped together (side by side ) & placed over a full size hive.
If I don't get any better advice, I'll just wrap them in tar paper ( put some insulation on top,vent, etc.) with the 8 frame hive & hope for the best.
Thanks for any help, Nardi
I like stacking the nucs on top a a 10 frame deep the heat goes up.
insulate after they are stacked
all this after or just before the weather turns to cold to do enter for the season
Does it get pretty cold down there in south Florida these days :-D
A double deep 5+5 frame nuc should winter fine assuming there are lots of bees in there. I winter a few 5 + 5 medium nucs in just wood boxes here and they usually survive if they are packed with bees. However I prefer insulating my nucs to give them a better chance. There is no need to wrap 2 nucs together! No group hugs for my bees.
All the nucs I winter (usually around 30) are in separate boxes and either 6 frame mediums or 6 + 6 frame medium double deckers. A 5+5 double decker deep is actually a pretty good sized nuc.
You get more sunshine in the winter in Portsmouth than I get here in Michigan. Tar paper doesn't do diddly squat if you don't get any sun so I don't believe in it here. Might be a good idea where you are. I like 40mm of foam insulation to keep my bees warm day AND night here. Just my 2 cents worth.
in south Florida it rarely gets down to the low 30's. the last winter we had the heat on 2 nights.
yes we sweater-ed up. only snows every tenth year, usually melts before it hits the ground
the girls love it as they barely skip a beat. pollen coming in all year round nectar is the challenge for two months.
gave them sugar water for those months
real glad I am not up there or even Houston
dont combine top vent with insulation... it makes things worse. (energy goes into driving convection) insulate with bottom vent only
A terrarium heater would help them a lot...