overwintering with 1 frame

[irishguy]

Who here successfully overwinters in an apidea! I've a spare laying queen and was in 2 minds to give it away or not or try and overwinter her in an apedia with brood and stores. I was even thinking of covering the apedia in more insulation for better heat retention.

Another idea I have is to make a 2 framed box with 4 inch insulation all around including most of the floor and have 1 full frame of brood along with the queen and another full frame (or2) of capped honey.

I'm near sure I've read on here about beeks successfully overwintering with 1 frame of brood, if so, what is it they did to achieve this or was it just lady luck.

Another idea is to try and overwinter one of them in the house in the spare room with a small opening in the window for them to get out when needs be. With all gaps sealed to the main house.

Worst that could happen is I lose the quuen and bees but sure, I was going to give her away anyway!

 

[Pete D]

not too late to split a big colony and make up a nuc as she is already a proven layer.
Does make me wonder where she came from though.................how did she become spare, either you wanted her or you didn't, but now you do ?

 

[user 6228]

You need to increase the insulation to match the number of bees.(ratio of colony mass to nest thermal conductance)
so you need 5 times the insulation for 1 frame of bees compared to 5 frames of bees just to keep them at the same level of stress.

 

[For want of a better word]

You need to increase the insulation to match the number of bees.(ratio of colony mass to nest thermal conductance)
so you need 5 times the insulation for 1 frame of bees compared to 5 frames of bees just to keep them at the same level of stress.

Three std National frame with 2 wide dummies plus a 100ml of cellotex under the lid?


Just wondered

Yeghes da

 

[user 6228]

Three std National frame with 2 wide dummies plus a 100ml of cellotex under the lid?


Just wondered

Yeghes da

That depends on where You started from

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Wasps

 

[oliver90owner]

The centre of the cluster generally does not fall below around 20 degrees. The bees can survive down to less than 10. There will be a very good reason for that. Queens do not do well if chilled. No brood unless the brood area is nearer 35.

Considering previous threads, my suggestion to this poster is to try to over-winter strong colonies until he actually gains some experience.

 

[Finman]

.
1 frame colony is Impossible even on summer. Of course you may use even half frame, but there are practical limits what is worth to do.

For example nosema hits easily to small colonies.
.
Again I wonder how experienced beekeepers encourage beginners to do most difficult things what they do not do even themselves.

Some reality to advices please!

 

[irishguy]

not too late to split a big colony and make up a nuc as she is already a proven layer.
Does make me wonder where she came from though.................how did she become spare, either you wanted her or you didn't, but now you do ?

Leave that wondering to me because you might hurt some brain cells doing more of it thinking about my queen

All jokes aside thou, I going to unite 2 nucs to make into a strong colony to go into winter and seeing as ill have a spare queen, sure why not experiment with what I've said in OP. Its either giver her away or do one of above.

 

[irishguy]

.
1 frame colony is Impossible even on summer. Of course you may use even half frame, but there are practical limits what is worth to do.

For example nosema hits easily to small colonies.
.
Again I wonder how experienced beekeepers encourage beginners to do most difficult things what they do not do even themselves.

Some reality to advices please!

Does it really matter if its difficult or not. Like I've mentioned above, I have 3 options, option 1 is to give her away, option 2 stick her in an apedia and option 3, snuggle her up in huge amounts of insulation and give her a frame of stores and bees.

What I'll learn from option1 is sweet FA! (You'll have to guess what FA is because I can't spell it out for you in the open forum)

Option 2&3, I'll learn that I can or can't successfully over winter in such small amount of bees however there's one point I should make, how is it others could possibly overwinter like this and not me!

Another option I said in the OP, I could bring it into the house and overwinter there. I have 6 bedrooms in my house and one doesn't get used until spring/summer months so I thought maybe I could try it there. I could make just over a beespace hole for them to get outside when needs be. One thing that crossed my mind thou, they could possibly need more stores than I think in case they use what they have for cooling the hive when the temps are comfortable during winter. Again, I'll make sure all holes are covered so they can't get into the main house.

 

[irishguy]

You need to increase the insulation to match the number of bees.(ratio of colony mass to nest thermal conductance)
so you need 5 times the insulation for 1 frame of bees compared to 5 frames of bees just to keep them at the same level of stress.

What is 5 times thou. I'm near sure you say 25mm is OK for over a full colony so I'm sure 4 inch or even 4inch doubled up should be more than enough. I'll leave an open floor but not it all like in full hives, maybe just a small inch strip just along the bottom.

 

[Erichalfbee]

There is always the warm feeling of helping out a fellow beek with a queen-less colony. Worth checking that out first?

 

[Finman]

Does it really matter if its difficult or not. Like I've mentioned above, I have 3 options, option 1 is to give her away, option 2 stick her in an apedia and option 3, snuggle her up in huge amounts of insulation and give her a frame of stores and bees.

What I'll learn from option1 is sweet FA! (You'll have to guess what FA is because I can't spell it out for you in the open forum)

Option 2&3, I'll learn that I can or can't successfully over winter in such small amount of bees however there's one point I should make, how is it others could possibly overwinter like this and not me!

Another option I said in the OP, I could bring it into the house and overwinter there. I have 6 bedrooms in my house and one doesn't get used until spring/summer months so I thought maybe I could try it there. I could make just over a beespace hole for them to get outside when needs be. One thing that crossed my mind thou, they could possibly need more stores than I think in case they use what they have for cooling the hive when the temps are comfortable during winter. Again, I'll make sure all holes are covered so they can't get into the main house.

Splended....that 6 bedrooms.

.

 

[Pete D]

Leave that wondering to me because you might hurt some brain cells doing more of it thinking about my queen

All jokes aside thou, I going to unite 2 nucs to make into a strong colony to go into winter and seeing as ill have a spare queen, sure why not experiment with what I've said in OP. Its either giver her away or do one of above.

You have 2 nucs, why not just feed them both, insulate as required and bring them both through winter. Plenty of time yet for them to build up nice and strong.
I moved 8 nucs out of 6 frame polys yesterday into full size national broods, 11 frames all drawn, fed them and reduced entrances down, all had 4-5 frames of brood in all stages.
Don't worry I wont hurt my brain cells, its not that important too me.
Good luck

 

[irishguy]

You have 2 nucs, why not just feed them both, insulate as required and bring them both through winter. Plenty of time yet for them to build up nice and strong.
I moved 8 nucs out of 6 frame polys yesterday into full size national broods, 11 frames all drawn, fed them and reduced entrances down, all had 4-5 frames of brood in all stages.
Don't worry I wont hurt my brain cells, its not that important too me.
Good luck

Was thinking its best to overwinter with full colonies rather than nucs. Well going by what I've been advised onnhere before. Plus I like a bit of experimenting

 

[oliver90owner]

Was thinking its best to overwinter with full colonies rather than nucs.-

If that was the case, not a great deal of joined up thinking before this thread surfaced? KISS principle beekeeping works, so why try to ignore it?

 

[irishguy]

Was thinking its best to overwinter with full colonies rather than nucs.-

If that was the case, not a great deal of joined up thinking before this thread surfaced? KISS principle beekeeping works, so why try to ignore it?

I think this is just a black and white issue here, I say black, you say white. If I'd have came here and asked advice on overwintering 2 nucs, you'd have said sure why not unite to have a big colony for better chance of overwintering

 

[Finman]

.
Irish, they are your bees. You just do it what you want, and do not mind about old farts.

You just remember what they repeat in London tube: MIND A GAP

 

[Finman]

I think this is just a black and white issue here, I say black, you say white. If I'd have came here and asked advice on overwintering 2 nucs, you'd have said sure why not unite to have a big colony for better chance of overwintering

Oliwer is right. He gove a good advice.

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