Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: charlotte on July 21, 2009, 01:25:03 am

Title: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: charlotte on July 21, 2009, 01:25:03 am

Thanks everyone...  Nice to see what other folks are doing!  Be sure that you are not "hopelessly lost" if you vote, as your location is important in regards to how you winter.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Irwin on July 21, 2009, 09:04:59 am

One deep one medium

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: nella on July 21, 2009, 09:07:48 am

Two 10 frame deep.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Yarra_Valley on July 21, 2009, 09:12:52 am

Lots of bees = two 8 frame deeps. Not so many bees = single 8 frame deep. Even less bees = unite.

-J.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: bassman1977 on July 21, 2009, 10:36:26 am

3 10 frame mediums is what I typically go into winter with.  I've gone as small as 2 10 frame mediums without issue.  Those were smaller hives.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: jdpro5010 on July 21, 2009, 10:49:52 am

story and a half.  1 deep, 1 med.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Wynoochee_newbee_guy on July 21, 2009, 02:13:08 pm

two deeps

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: BeeHopper on July 21, 2009, 04:37:19 pm

Two Deeps  :)

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: WayneW on July 21, 2009, 05:00:31 pm

2 Deeps or 3 mediums. About the same volume of bees, just preferr to use mediums.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Keith13 on July 21, 2009, 05:13:26 pm

1 deep 1 medium

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: alflyguy on July 21, 2009, 05:38:23 pm

Two deeps. It might be over kill in Alabama but it worked last year.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Brian D. Bray on July 22, 2009, 08:30:23 pm

With Russians and Carnies I overwinter with 3 medium 8 frames.  With Italians I assume I'll be overwintering with 4 medium 8 frames but winter isn't here yet, just going on past experience based on cluster size.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: NasalSponge on July 22, 2009, 08:33:10 pm

2 deep 10 framers

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: MustbeeNuts on July 22, 2009, 08:54:53 pm

3 meds 10 frame, I figure three is the right number for me.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: jeremy_c on July 22, 2009, 09:02:46 pm

It'd be nice to be able to see the poll results w/o voting. I am a first year beek and I don't know, I've never wintered bees before, but I'd like to see what everyone else thinks. I can vote and say, 2 or something, but then I skew the results just so I can see what others think.

Jeremy

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Jim134 on July 22, 2009, 09:50:09 pm

In  1957 to 1984 I use 2 Deeps 10  frames 1985 to now 3 meds 10 frames Athol (tool town) Massachusetts USA



    BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: rast on July 22, 2009, 10:13:11 pm

 It really depends on what, if anything they do in the fall, what I take, and the size of the hive going in. Not a whole lot of winter here. 1 1/2 on the small to 3 deeps. Not usually a lot of "hard winter" here.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: charlotte on July 23, 2009, 08:43:17 pm

I edited the poll so anyone can see the results with out voting...just had it locked initially to get people to vote!  I see your point for new beeks- so here you go  ;)

Thanks everyone!
-Charlotte

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Kathyp on July 23, 2009, 09:03:54 pm

depends on the hive.  a couple of my late swarms will be one deep.  the older and bigger hives will be two deeps. 

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: WayneW on July 24, 2009, 11:05:08 pm

Quote from: jeremy_c on July 22, 2009, 09:02:46 pm

It'd be nice to be able to see the poll results w/o voting. I am a first year beek and I don't know, I've never wintered bees before, but I'd like to see what everyone else thinks. I can vote and say, 2 or something, but then I skew the results just so I can see what others think.

Jeremy

The results are already skewed by location. To simply view the results of the poll is no particular indication of what would be right for YOU. It depends on hive size/strength, location, and overall health. Ask some local beeks or attend a few meetings before winter sets in, and find out what others in your region are doing to successfully over-winter hives.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: irekkin on July 25, 2009, 12:18:41 am

one deep and one shallow. i plan to start using eight frame mediums for any hives i start from now on. if i do that i would probably run three deep.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Natalie on July 25, 2009, 12:22:06 pm

Ya mean 3 medium?

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Michael Bush on July 26, 2009, 11:16:22 am

I would ask around the area where you live and see what is typical and then adjust for your equipment.

3 ten frame mediums = 2 ten frame deeps = 4 eight frame mediums

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Joelel on July 27, 2009, 12:53:27 pm

Two 8,9 or 10 frames deep.

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: G3farms on July 27, 2009, 09:11:38 pm

One deep and one shallow will get me through the winter.

I don't even own any mediums.

G3

Title: Re: Number of brood boxes for wintering
Post by: Schoon on July 27, 2009, 09:13:58 pm

Two Deeps