Need advice - Wintering 1 Nuc

[Nardi]

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

[jayj200]

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

[BlueBee]

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.

[jayj200]

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

[derekm]

dont combine top vent with insulation... it makes things worse. (energy goes into driving convection) insulate with bottom vent only

[Michael Bush]

A terrarium heater would help them a lot...