Bee suprise

[cao]

I was just out looking at my bees in my side yard.  This is where most of my nucs are that I made this year.  I went out there to feed a few of the smaller ones.  Something didn't look right.  One of my nuc boxes had bees in it.  I thought that I had emptied it out a few week ago after the queen didn't make it back.  After feeding the nucs, I went over to look at it and sure enough a swarm must have moved in.    I could see through the screen in the inner cover that they have fill about half of the five frame medium nuc.  They would have to pick the only box of the dozen or so empty ones that didn't have any frames.  What are the chances they build up enough to make it through the winter?  I guess we will see.

[GSF]

That's great news. ain't it a sweet surprise!

[Rurification]

My last swarm isn't thriving yet and I've been wondering if it will make it through the winter.   I look at it and sigh a lot.   I've decided that this is a good opportunity to try some new overwinter techniques for nucs.   Here's hoping our new little colonies make it through the winter.

[divemaster1963]

My last swarm isn't thriving yet and I've been wondering if it will make it through the winter.   I look at it and sigh a lot.   I've decided that this is a good opportunity to try some new overwinter techniques for nucs.   Here's hoping our new little colonies make it through the winter.

good luck with them. have you thought about trying a two qween colony to see if they can get help from another hive. put qween excluder above the brood box on a strong hive then the honey supper then another qween excluder then the brood box of the weaker hive. this allows them to share stores and foragers just make a top entrance for the weaker hive. if all else fails they can be combined just before winter.


john

[Rurification]

That's a really good idea.   I know I have one queen excluder....I wonder if I can pick another one up at Rural King this week.   Thx!