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Thread: Last Queen

  1. #21
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    I have taken mini nucs through the winter before with reasonable success but that was in the "balmy" east mids. I am not trying this winter as I ran out of time but I am pondering the best way to do it for next season. If I take out the partition for the food compartment they take 6 bars so I have hopes.

    PH

  2. #22
    Senior Member Greengage's Avatar
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    I gave it to a friend who will take it through winter as I have no room or enough equipment. Think Iv spent the budget on the extractor and need more reading material for senior scientific exam thinking of buying both Celia Davis books and one on Anatomy by Dade. What do you think.

  3. #23
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poly Hive View Post
    I have taken mini nucs through the winter before with reasonable success but that was in the "balmy" east mids. I am not trying this winter as I ran out of time but I am pondering the best way to do it for next season. If I take out the partition for the food compartment they take 6 bars so I have hopes.

    PH
    I have got a few through the winter on several occasions but a really cold spell will usually see then end of them. Very handy to have a couple of queens in March or April to replace any drone layers.

  4. #24
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    I am trying to overwinter 4 queens in:
    1 in Apidea plus upper section with an insulated cover.
    2 in a Mann Lake double mini nuc with added insulation
    1 in a home made poly mini nuc using 6 x apidea sized frames.

    As a test to see which is best..(I suspect home made but wdik)

  5. #25
    Senior Member Adam's Avatar
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    I've overwintered in three swi-bines gaffa taped together; anything smaller is a real gamble.

    I had the last two queens mated recently - eggs and larvae seen at the weekend. Both are 'unplanned' as they are supercedure queens; one from a harvested q/c from a (good) old girl that was being replaced, the other is a supercedure from a 2017 queen that was not up to the mark.The colonies they are in are large enough that they should be OK for winter.

    I should have left the bees to get on with it replacing the old girl. She is still in her hive and no more supercedure queencells have been made, but she is slowing down and will unlikely be any good in spring.

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