Re: http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/articles/pkgnucs.htm

>What a great photo essay.  It generated lots of thoughts
> and a few questions last night as I slept.  Didn't know if
> I should post this to the list or not but if you feel it is
> pertinent to list discussion feel free to send it on to the
> membership.


I actually don't know the answers to all those questions.  The bees
belong to my friends, the Meijers, and Joe took the pictures.  This
method is not yet widely practiced.  A few people have experimented with
it, and I'll have a report later.

These nucs are normally used for outdoor wintering in the lower mainland
of B.C.   Climate there is like Washington state.

In the meantime,

> I assume that the nucs have a solid bottom like a standard ice cooler

Yes.

> and there is a small lake of food that the bees pick up and put in
> the combs just as though they would do from a frame feeder.

Right.

> As they
> store the syrup away they gain more room for the brood patch.

They pick it all up within hours.

> Is there pollen in the frames, or do you put a supplement in
> there as well?

The frames have pollen

> It sounds like the queens will self release and start laying in a
> couple of days.

Yes.

> How long do the nucs stay on the pallets inside the
> store room and what temperature is it in the room?

Until the outdoor weather is suitable for them and there is something
for them to forage.

The storage temperature is around room temperature, but it is not
critical.  Any conditions suitable for wintering would also be fine.
Air change is important, though when you have that many bees in a small
volume.

> It looks like the way they are stacked there is plenty of ventilation.

Yes, otherwise the moisture would make them miserable.

The screen lids are replaced by a solid polystyrene lid when they are
put outside.

> How long can the bees go without a cleansing flight under
> those conditions?

A week or two.

> By the time you move the bees out to the field what stage of
> development are the larvae in?

That depends on the year, and when they are installed.  Usually there is
not much brood in package bees for several days after installing.

I'll have more later, and maybe a magazine article.  Now that I am
retired, I'll have time to write again.  Selling out has been hectic,
but, yes, it is official, I am down to 117 hives!

allen
http://www.honeybeeworld.com/diary/

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