Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => RAPID BEEYARD GROWTH => Topic started by: trapperbob on March 16, 2008, 09:07:26 pm
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How late in the season here in Nebraska would anyone advise starting a nuc so that it would succesfully servive the winter. I have three packages coming in April and it looks as if I will be able to split what I already have on hand that would give me five maybe six new hives and if they all seem to do well I may have access to a couple of nucs later if I want.The want is not an issue but I would want to give them a proper chance to survive. The wife says at the rate i'm going I better start finding new out yards so I can expand in the futur. Sure glad she seems so agreable. :)
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Some people are able to overwinter just a nuc. they cluster them in groups and some people provide heat w/ a light bulb. Depends on how much effort you want to put in. I got nucs in July and was able to expand them to a full deep, and topped w/ a medium full of honey for stores and all 3 made it this winter.
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I've made nucs as late as October and with some supplemental heat have over wintered them fine. I know folks in Canada overwinter nucs in the polystyrene nucs that BetterBee sells.
It does become a crap shoot depending on the weather.
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I generally don't like making nucs later than June, however a July nuc can winter very well. My biggest problem with July nucs is that it is right in the main honey flow, and they fill up with honey before the queen gets a chance to lay. I use a 2 story five frame nuc to winter them, and have had success with both outdoor and indoor wintering, however prefer to have them inside. You can make them later, just make sure they have enough bees.
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With a queen, I'd say the first of August is pushing it, but will work some years. With raising their own queen, I'd say the first of July.
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I've overwintered hives in nucs without problems. The nucs were 2 medium 5 framers in size.