Noob - poly nuc/storing drawn frames

[Rob55]

Evening All

Today I transferred my colony into a 14x12 poly nuc for the winter as they had swarmed twice in late summer and numbers were low. They have a newly mated queen with a little brood in the centre frames, so I hope this will give them the best chance of making it through the winter. Some questions:

1. I was left with 1 extra frame with roughly 1/3 capped stores on one side which I didn't know what to do with. I didn't want to waste the stores, so I decided to scrape the honey off and smear it into the feeder side of the poly nuc in the hope that the bees could make use of it, straight away bees came trickling into the feeder and started mopping it up. Was this a good idea or what alternatives would there have been?

2. I have left the remainder of the above frame sitting outside the hive now in the hope the bees will clean out the remaining cells, to allow me save the drawn comb for next season. I have 4 other drawn out frames which are completely empty as well. What is the best way to store them all until next spring? I have previously seen stored frames go a black crusty colour while lying in a neighbours shed, I don't want this to happen to mine.

3. There has been no varroa drop from my hive at all. It is quite cold here now, max 11-12 degrees C. I have Apiguard treatment sitting here but I am not sure whether I should treat, what would you do given the zero mite drop and weak state of the colony?

Thanks as always

Rob

 

[itma]

Put each frame in the freezer for ... oooh ... more than 24 hours to kill any wax moth larvae.
Then bag and seal in a binbag. And then put that parcel inside another binbag, and seal it.
Then store in a very cold place through the winter.


For plural boxes of frames, the boxes would be stacked, and sealed at top and bottom. Sulphur or acetic acid would be used to fumigate the stack.
Not needed for a few frames.

Suggest you might take the opportunity over winter to clean and sanitise (scorch?) the unused hive parts... You wanted another job, didn't you?

 

[beeno]

Evening All

Today I transferred my colony into a 14x12 poly nuc for the winter as they had swarmed twice in late summer and numbers were low. They have a newly mated queen with a little brood in the centre frames, so I hope this will give them the best chance of making it through the winter. Some questions:

1. I was left with 1 extra frame with roughly 1/3 capped stores on one side which I didn't know what to do with. I didn't want to waste the stores, so I decided to scrape the honey off and smear it into the feeder side of the poly nuc in the hope that the bees could make use of it, straight away bees came trickling into the feeder and started mopping it up. Was this a good idea or what alternatives would there have been?

2. I have left the remainder of the above frame sitting outside the hive now in the hope the bees will clean out the remaining cells, to allow me save the drawn comb for next season. I have 4 other drawn out frames which are completely empty as well. What is the best way to store them all until next spring? I have previously seen stored frames go a black crusty colour while lying in a neighbours shed, I don't want this to happen to mine.

3. There has been no varroa drop from my hive at all. It is quite cold here now, max 11-12 degrees C. I have Apiguard treatment sitting here but I am not sure whether I should treat, what would you do given the zero mite drop and weak state of the colony?

Thanks as always

Rob

Hi Rob,
Do not leave frame outside hive. It will attract robbers and wasps. Point 2 Store the same as empty frames a la itma. I would not treat, but feed ambrosia or fondant if not enough stores. I feel for you. Best of luck for the winter. You may get through.

 

[drstitson]

weak colony with source of free food outside will be decimated by wasps or robbers very quickly.

 

[Rob55]

Thanks, will get that frame outside removed and sanitise/ store my equipment as described

Will the bees make use of the honey I scraped into their feeder?

Apiguard yes/no?

 

[blackcavebees]

Still worth using apiguard IMHO, I think it says in colder conditions to leave on for 14 days and just two treatments. Careful with dose size, scale down for nuc. We still get warm days here and mine were bringing in pollen yesterday morning (co Antrim)

 

[Rob55]

Went back today and retrieved the frame outside, it was picked completely clean.

Unfortunately I was met with a pile of about 200 dead bees around and mostly underneath the hive. I think they were unable to find their way into the payees nuc entrance and died of cold overnight as the majority were underneath the open mesh floor. Such a sorry looking sight - must have been the flying bees which I didn't manage to physically put into the nuc.

 

[itma]

Went back today and retrieved the frame outside, it was picked completely clean.

Unfortunately I was met with a pile of about 200 dead bees around and mostly underneath the hive. I think they were unable to find their way into the payees nuc entrance and died of cold overnight as the majority were underneath the open mesh floor. Such a sorry looking sight - must have been the flying bees which I didn't manage to physically put into the nuc.

Pity.

I've mentioned previously that I routinely put a line of foam (ADDED - I mean an 8x1x1" scrap of upholstery foam) under the front of mine (a Mark 1, with the undershot, no-disc entrance) specifically to reduce the number going underneath.

I got a bit of a surprise the first time I left mine for the swarm remnants to rejoin their pals inside the box. When I returned at dusk, there were more than a few trying to get in through the floor - which I only discovered as I nonchalently picked up the by-then closed-up box ...
Lesson learned!