preparing Nuc's for winter

[moby]

Hi does anyone have any tips on how to prepare nucs and small colonies for winter your input will be greatly appreciated

 

[Max]

1. Feed like crazy with a 2 to 1 sugar syrup.
2. Treat with Hive Clean to kill off varroa 5 times in total once every 4 days, so it virtually covers a complete brood cycle.
3. Do not use Apiguard as the smell will be to strong and the bees may abscond.
4. Stop feeding syrup before the first frosts as they will not have time to process the syrup.
5. Feed fondant, as a nuc will need help right up to late October.
6. The ivy will help top up there stores in October.
7. Apply fondant in January, if they take it, they need it!!
8. Apply a small dose of Oxalic acid to kill off varroa between xmas and the first week in January when there's no brood rearing.

That should see you through to the Spring, but as usual nothings guaranteed!!

 

[Nic Rhodes]

re 3 surely if too strong smell from Apiguard that they abscond then the dose is simply too high? I thought you gave nucs half a tray.

 

[beeatshellards]

I thought you should add half a tray too , a full tray will be too much adjustment for a nuc will do the job

 

[sugarbush]

For Nucs I divide hive bodies in half and place two nucs in each, then I stack them on top of each other with all entrances staggered.

 

[Finman]

.
First you need to know how many frames you are going to keep in "small nuc"..
5 frames is good. Smaller nucs, eved if they survive over winter, the spring build up is painfull.

Just now a nuc need frame of pollen, one frame food and 3 empty combs where to lay.

The nuc must be warm that the colony does not stop too early brood rearing. NO mesh floor.

From this a month later you feed the nucs full of syrup 66%.

 

[BBG]

.
First you need to know how many frames you are going to keep in "small nuc"..
5 frames is good. Smaller nucs, eved if they survive over winter, the spring build up is painfull.

Just now a nuc need frame of pollen, one frame food and 3 empty combs where to lay.

The nuc must be warm that the colony does not stop too early brood rearing. NO mesh floor.

From this a month later you feed the nucs full of syrup 66%.

Hi Finman

When you say "NO mesh floor" do you mean all through the winter or just until Queen has finished laying?

 

[moby]

.
First you need to know how many frames you are going to keep in "small nuc"..
5 frames is good. Smaller nucs, eved if they survive over winter, the spring build up is painfull.

Just now a nuc need frame of pollen, one frame food and 3 empty combs where to lay.

The nuc must be warm that the colony does not stop too early brood rearing. NO mesh floor.

From this a month later you feed the nucs full of syrup 66%.

Hi Finman

The nucs I have are 5 frame Poly's from P**nes which have a built in open mesh floor, I will Have to make a plan to seal this

Thanks

 

[moby]

re 3 surely if too strong smell from Apiguard that they abscond then the dose is simply too high? I thought you gave nucs half a tray.

Would thymolated syrup be up for the Jop rather than Apiguard?