Which nuc arrangement works best for 7 frames of bees?

[TwoHoneys]

I've got a teeny hive in a single 8-frame medium box...I consider it a nuc.

For winter, would you leave them in their current 8-frame medium box, or would you rearrange them so they're in two 5-frame medium nuc boxes stacked on top of one another?

-Liz

[T Beek]

Either arrangement would be acceptable, but my concern is stores.  How much do they have?  7 frames of bees in an 8 frame box doesn't leave much room for feed.  In Ohio you've got some time yet. You must be in the middle of Goldenrod flow right now???

If it was me I'd add another 8 frame super with drawn comb that's been filled with 3-1 syrup (ala Finski), but I'm in Northern Wisconsin and our season is done.  If flow is heavy by you then providing empty drawn comb will allow bees to fill up without having to draw out new comb themselves.  Timing is everything right now.

thomas

[sc-bee]

Just curious --- I'm a Southern beekeeper. What would splitting them in two five frame nucs buy you? I guess the extra two frames of storage area. Me in my climate they would stay as they are but we usually don't have problems with bees breaking cluster to feed on syrup during winters.

[Tommyt]

Just curious ---  What would splitting them in two five frame nucs buy you?

One queen-less Nuc  :(

Tommyt

[sc-bee]

Yea I did not type that right --- I meant two five framers stacked on top of each other vs one eight framer. Thanks tommy

[JP]

Liz, I would love to be able to offer you advice but down here we have such mild winters. A single nuc is often all it takes to bring a small colony through winter. I would think where you are you would either need to stack them or baby them with fondant to get them through.


...JP

[FRAMEshift]

For winter, would you leave them in their current 8-frame medium box, or would you rearrange them so they're in two 5-frame medium nuc boxes stacked on top of one another?
-Liz

I think Tbeek is correct.  For 7 mediums of bees you will need at least 3 or 4 mediums of capped stores and you obviously don't have that since you have them in an 8 frame box.  And I assume your bees will increase in population between now and the beginning of winter.  And could you add some bees from another hive?  If you could go into winter with 8 or more frames of bees, you could just add a second 8 frame box full of capped syrup.  That would allow the cluster to move up to the stores as needed.  

I do like Finski's method of pouring syrup into drawn comb and just adding the frames to the hive.  I don't know what concentration Finski uses (obviously not 3:1).   I use 3:2 and that works well.   I think feeding in this way reduces the issue of backfilling the broodnest which is important if you are still trying to get more brood before winter.  And remember that you can add the poured syrup frames to another large hive and let them do the work of capping.  Then transfer the frames where they are needed.

[ScoobyDoBee]

I'm inexperienced, so get out some grains of salt!!! :)

I agree with eveyone else about stores - sounds like you definity need that. But what about stacking your medium (or 2 with stores) on top of another hive? I have been considering this here for one of mine. I don't remember where I read about that - can try to find link. But you must not let bees intermingle. You separate by a double screened inner - or something like that. For your winters, I would think that would eliminate warmth issues. But does raise moisture issues. So READ. :)

[beebob]

Jp I'am a new bee and what is fodant ?, and where do you get it and what does it cost? :? and how do you feed it to your bee's? thank's

[JP]

Bob, fondant also known as bee candy is a viable feed option for winter feeding.

Here's a link to a discussion on fondant on "beekeeping forums" where several of us here are also members.


...JP

http://www.beekeepingforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=344

[hankdog1]

Another option would be to combine them with another hive that is also weak.  Make sure you pinch the worse of the two queens.  Then feed feed feed.  Don't know if that's an option for you or not just my 2 cents worth.

[bee-nuts]

I Wintered some singles last year that had 8 frames and a frame feeder.  I put a hive top fondant feeder on them with 10 lbs of sugar on each.  They moved strait up into sugar and ignored frames of honey to the sides of cluster.  I would put them in a double story five frame nuc.  You have plenty of time to feed them if you pour it to em heavy.  I would insulate the nucs and give them a top entrance.  They should do fine.

Im wintering several double six frame nucs this winter.