She Made it back....too....

biggraham610 · June 03, 2014, 07:25:36 PM

Wow, this is my first year fooling with splits and I couldnt be more pleased. I am learning patience is the key. I had 2 nucs made up with swarm cells from a Overwintered hive, by my calculations they were late. My Calculations were wrong. I took one deep to the farm figuring I was gonna combine the 2 queenless nucs and give them a open frame to try again. To my enjoyment and surprise, when I went in the first she was there and rocking. The other nuc was similar in activity, so I am hoping for the same results tommorrow when I go back with another deep. These are daughters of Mike Haneys VSH Stock, Ridgetop Apiaries. So far, success with two of these sisters returning home with a shot at another tommorrow. Fingers crossed. She was camera shy, sorry they arent the clearest.......G...... :chop:

Steel Tiger · June 03, 2014, 08:05:18 PM

Nice. There's not much more you could ask for when you have success.

I'm planning on splitting a package next week. I'm planning on 4 nucs plus letting the queen keep the hive. I'll be buying the queens. I'm hoping the the nucs build up fast enough to be able to split them a few times before the end of July. I'm looking to have 20 nucs going into winter.

biggraham610 · June 03, 2014, 08:24:42 PM

You have had success overwintering nuc's? I have heard of it. i am going to have to split my giant swarm hive Im sure of that, shes laying through 3 supers above the deep, they ate the honey to give her room. Shes a beast. i just want to go into winter with 10 strong hives. Im on my way to that goal. Came out with 1 this year out of 2. I guess realistic high end for me would be 15-20. Dont tell my wife..G... :chop:
:laugh:

marktrl · June 04, 2014, 12:22:50 PM

Watch this video has good info on overwintering nucs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nznzpiWEI8A

biggraham610 · June 04, 2014, 11:58:26 PM

Quote from: marktrl on June 04, 2014, 12:22:50 PM
Watch this video has good info on overwintering nucs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nznzpiWEI8A

Thanks, I will check it out. G :chop:

Steel Tiger · June 05, 2014, 05:14:53 AM

Michael Palmer has great information in those videos. About the only thing I wonder is, does he use 9 frame hives or does he use 9 frames in a 10 frame hive.

marktrl · June 05, 2014, 08:48:34 AM

His nucs are 4 frame because he divides a 10 frame box with a 3/4" board and can only fit 4 frames.

Steel Tiger · June 05, 2014, 09:20:02 AM

Quote from: marktrl on June 05, 2014, 08:48:34 AM
His nucs are 4 frame because he divides a 10 frame box with a 3/4" board and can only fit 4 frames.

If you look at of his hives when he shows them opened up, many of them have 9 frames with what appears to be extra space on the sides.