feeding fondant.

[Curly green finger's]

I haven't used any other type of poly nuc yet other than maismore I left the feeders on last year and cut some insulation down to go in the feeder sides , then made a cosy type roof to go over the existing to keep of the rain.
I would like to try more any suggestions??

 

[Beefriendly]

I've successfully (In high ground in North Yorkshire) overwintered small colonies in both Maismore and Paynes nucs without adding any additional "top" insulation. They are already insulated enough in my opinion. Adding more might satisfy the beekeeper but provides little additional help to the bees.
What I do though is block the open mesh floor off for the winter with either poly or something similar and remove it in spring. That I find does makes a big difference for overwintering a small nuc of bees. Note...might not be required in the balmy sarth of England.....

 

[madasafish]

What I do though is block the open mesh floor off for the winter with either poly or something similar and remove it in spring. That I find does makes a big difference for overwintering a small nuc of bees. Note...might not be required in the balmy sarth of England.....

+1

OMFs in frosty areas/high winds/high rainfall and wet ground are bad news in winter...ESPECIALLY on nucs raised off teh ground on open stands (ie without a floor).. Wind buffeting of the hive internals = bad news..

Done the comparison.. I close OMFs on all hive types and sizes over winter..

 

[drex]

In the "balmy Sarth " I overwinter in home made wooden nucs, solid floors. I put them all together in one big block, and have yet to lose one. Taking eight through this winter. They always need feeding early spring, so ekes are on, with a sheet of plastic on the top bars, which is whipped off to give them fondant.

 

[Curly green finger's]

+1

OMFs in frosty areas/high winds/high rainfall and wet ground are bad news in winter...ESPECIALLY on nucs raised off teh ground on open stands (ie without a floor).. Wind buffeting of the hive internals = bad news..

Done the comparison.. I close OMFs on all hive types and sizes over winter..

Thanks for the idea , I've nucs on high ground and down by the river I'll be closing of the omf floor now cheers.

 

[Murox]

+1

OMFs in frosty areas/high winds/high rainfall and wet ground are bad news in winter...ESPECIALLY on nucs raised off teh ground on open stands (ie without a floor).. Wind buffeting of the hive internals = bad news..

Done the comparison.. I close OMFs on all hive types and sizes over winter..

I fully concur.

 

[Swarm]

I've successfully (In high ground in North Yorkshire) overwintered small colonies in both Maismore and Paynes nucs without adding any additional "top" insulation. They are already insulated enough in my opinion. Adding more might satisfy the beekeeper but provides little additional help to the bees.
What I do though is block the open mesh floor off for the winter with either poly or something similar and remove it in spring. That I find does makes a big difference for overwintering a small nuc of bees. Note...might not be required in the balmy sarth of England.....

The difference the additional top insulation made to the bees was quite apparent.
Before.
Some invert left in the bays, condensation on the feeder window, no bees in the feeder.
After.
Invert gone, no condensation, bees in feeder looking for more.
My nuc floors are sealed off in Winter.

 

[Beefriendly]

In the "balmy Sarth " I overwinter in home made wooden nucs, solid floors. I put them all together in one big block, and have yet to lose one. Taking eight through this winter. They always need feeding early spring, so ekes are on, with a sheet of plastic on the top bars, which is whipped off to give them fondant.

In the frozen tundra's of the north i lost well over 50% of any colonies in wooden nucs each winter....and they were on solid floors.
So many micro-climates there is no "one answer fits all".

 

[Beefriendly]

Some invert left in the bays, condensation on the feeder window, no bees in the feeder.
After.

I find the prevailing weather seems to have more affect on whether they are still taking syrup in the Maismore nucs. I can have them all down the bottom ignoring the syrup in cold spells and back up taking syrup in a later warm spell.
My acid test for insulation is does snow melt on the roof?
If not, they are not losing enough heat to worry about.
To date I've not had any poly hive or nuc fail that criteria and we always get some snow where we are...whereas 5 miles away it's cold rain....

 

[drex]

What's snow?

 

[Beefriendly]

What's snow?

....exactly