Nuc or full box for Winter?

greenbtree · September 30, 2011, 11:11:24 AM

I have two hives that got late starts, and they haven't filled a full deep yet. They seem vigorous enough, just didn't have enough time. One is about 1/2 full, the other about 2/3rds. I have a double nuc box, would they be better off for Winter if I moved them into that?

JC

Vance G · September 30, 2011, 11:47:10 AM

If you moved them into a double nuc and could also put a divided box on top to hold your extra fraction on one and to hold feed for both. They don't have all the time in the world to dry down syrup so you might want to learn how to make big blocks of fondant to put on top or mountain camp. Search wintering nucs and hopefully get information taiored for your area. Good luck

BlueBee · September 30, 2011, 12:53:23 PM

Another idea is to just leave them in their current boxes and squeeze the frames toward the middle of each deep. Then add foam baffles onto each side to fill in the empty space. That fills the empty space and provides them with substantial additional insulation.

Actually if you squeeze the half full box to the middle there would be enough room on the sides to put in 3" of foam baffling. That would give the bees a insulation value of R15 on the sides! That is a LOT of insulation. It would be even more effective if you also put some insulation of the top and on the ends.

Yeah, you know I'm a little obsessed with the foam..... :-D

Hemlock · September 30, 2011, 02:52:27 PM

If you want to keep them as individual hives you'll definitely need to reduce the extra space they have now. Putting them in nuc boxes would work well. One box for the 1/2 filled hive & two boxes for the 2/3 filled hive. Put them next to each other so they share a warm wall over winter.

The other option is to combine them into a single well populated hive.

ScooterTrash · November 24, 2011, 08:16:12 AM

What might be some examples/sources of foam to be used? Thanks

BlueBee · November 24, 2011, 08:31:15 AM

Scooter, I just use the "pink or blue" stuff you can buy at Lowes, Home Depot, or other hardware stores. I think Dow makes the blue stuff and Owens makes the pink stuff. Around here you can buy it in 4x8 foot sheets from ½" thick to 2" thick. $10 to $30 a sheet depending upon thickness and the store. You might not have as much selection in a warmer climate like GA; I don't know. The stuff has a insulation "R value" of 5 per inch of material. The R value of wood is about R1 per inch of thickness in comparison. Technically it's called extruded polystyrene.

I don't have any photos of my baffles handy, but I used the 2" thick stuff and glued a couple of thin top bars on the tops of them. I then just put them in a hive like a normal frame.

JackM · November 24, 2011, 09:43:02 AM

Quote
I don't have any photos of my baffles handy, but I used the 2" thick stuff and glued a couple of thin top bars on the tops of them. I then just put them in a hive like a normal frame.

Cool idea to make like a frame to insert it. I like that. Not all foams are the same. Check the R-values. Polystyrene is around R5 per inch, Polyisocyanurate is R-8 per inch. Frankly in a hive I don't think it really matters which you use, but again I sure like the use a frame rail idea.