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Thread: Mini nuc survival rate 2014-2015

  1. #11
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    That story gets published every year around this time.

    Edit: Just came across our regional variant of the story.

    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ne...-30703372.html
    Last edited by Jon; 30-10-2014 at 10:40 AM.

  2. #12
    Senior Member Bridget's Avatar
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    And those of us that love to ski get all excited! Pretty lazy reporting I suspect

  3. #13
    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
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    I have one triple polystyrene mini-nuc which is quite strong. It uses Swibine mini-nucs with 3 frames in each although the two lower feeders have comb in. The boxes are held together with gaffa tape and there's a brick on the top. They are not designed to fix together... The ventillated panels at the front are blocked up with plywood. As the combs have been extended down and all the boxes are fixed together by the bees I have not been in there for a while - when I do it will probably be a bit messy! For varroa treatment, I did smear some apiguard in the little hive from my hive tool. Not sure if it was enough to do much - at least they didn't abscond so I didn't put in too much!


    I also have one wooden mini-nuc. It has quite a lot of bees from various combinations, however I don't expect the queen to last as she has already been (perfectly) superceded and I plucked her off the frame after her daughter started laying; and there was a queencell in the hive last time I looked which I cut out it's too late to faff about with anything now. What will be will be. .
    Last edited by Adam; 31-10-2014 at 12:50 PM.

  4. #14
    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
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    Apparently today is the warmest evening of hallows on record. Almost mating weather*


    * For bees, I wasn't talking about me personally...



    Well, you never know your luck I suppose.

  5. #15
    Member Castor's Avatar
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    23 degrees my way. Some females in full display mode.
    No mating allowed according to my wife & granddaughter. :-(

  6. #16
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    Given last winter was at least here, East Mids dead centre, was "soft" to say the least, my survival rate was tbh the best ever. I have accidentaly, well ok a trial left some 2nd year queens banked in min nucs as a trial. I will give them fondant, but apart from that they are on ther own. What price the queens hmm?

    PH

  7. #17
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
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    As usual we're overwintering a couple of dozen mini plus type hives (less than usual because we moved towards using a lot more bs nucs this year), some are Lyson brand, the rest are our home made wood (often osb) versions which have frames a few inches deeper than the usual mini plus.

    So, handicaps:

    Balmy South Coast locations....
    Mini plus units,
    Extra deep mini plus units

    and now, these too, box of mini combs, originally meant to stand on a bs nuc but now left to get on with things on their own (considerably expanded since the photo was taken).

    Think I may already be disqualified from taking part!

    063.jpg060 (2).jpg

  8. #18
    Member Castor's Avatar
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    Tis now the ides of November and it's still 14 degrees here in cloudy Gloucestershire. My garden nuc is still pulling in pollen from somewhere..... is winter ever going to happen?

  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Castor View Post
    Tis now the ides of November and it's still 14 degrees here in cloudy Gloucestershire. My garden nuc is still pulling in pollen from somewhere..... is winter ever going to happen?
    On Ist May or thereabouts.

  10. #20
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by prakel View Post
    Think I may already be disqualified from taking part!
    Those look closer to nuc strength than mini nuc!

    I also have a load of nucs overwintering, mostly in the 6 frame Paynes Poly boxes.

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