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>Vladimir Ptacek asks about wintering small units to keep young queens
overwinter.
    I don't know if this would work in weather as severe as you have, or if
you have other bees. Most years I winter over a bunch of late nucs (to save
the young queens) on a double screen over strong hives. I always face the nuc
entrance in the opposite direction as the hive, but I do think there tends to
be a little drifting upward, which helps the nuc. I lose a few, but those
that survive come on like gangbusters in the spring.
    One thing I am sure would help, even in the most severe winter is to have
a feeder of dry sugar on them throughout the entire winter. The sugar must be
above the cluster and in continuous contact with them. In very cold weather,
they seem to get enough moisture from condensation. I used to keep a shallow
super of honey for winter feed, but these would have to be removed for
Apistan treatments, and I have little storage space. So I have gone to giving
all the winter feed in the form of sugar, and the bees are wintering much
better. I think keeping them busy is a boon to health.
   One other point - not for you, because you are talking about good nucs
with good queens, but for others on the list. I have learned the hard way
that poor bees, when nursed along by lots of feeding, still are poor bees,
and often die late in the winter anyway. So wintering with continuous feed is
not a way to make good bees out of junk. If they look poor (some symptoms:
small cluster, greasy looking bees, dark greasy looking brood cappings,
chalkbrood mummies in cells, sour smell, spotty brood pattern, etc.), cull
them, and put the resources into the good hives. It pays.
Dave Green, Eastern Pollinator Newsletter, PO Box 1215, Hemingway, SC   29554