Waldemar asked bout the size of my NWC winter clusters.

I'd say they are 3-5 frames, but the only day I looked for brood it was
limited to 1-2 frames.  Some had no easily-visible brood in the center of
the top box, but that doesn't mean that there were not eggs or young larvae
there, or there was not brood in the next box.

There is a world of difference between our 'inland' climate here, and your
coastal climate on Long Island.  Our USDA climate zone is 4, while I think
yours is 6.  Our red maples are in full bud, but not blooming.  Dandelions
bloom May 10-15.  It will not be at all unusual for us to get another 6-12
inches of snow!

I make splits around April 20.  I will typically find lots of hives with 5-8
frames of brood.  (A 'frame' in this reference is one with 50% or more of
the cells with eggs or brood in some stage.)  I will take 2 frames from
those with 7-8 frames and 1 frame from those with 5-6 frames, and by late
May they will still want to swarm if I fail to give them a new queen.

I consider our first flow as starting about June 1.

Lloyd
Lloyd Spear, Owner Ross Rounds, Inc.
Manufacturers of Ross Rounds Comb
Honey Equipment, Sundance Pollen Traps
and Custom Printer of Sundance Labels.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::