<excerted from several posts>
>   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.
 
>The successful life of small colonies is thanks to a bit new approache in
>hive construction, and I would like to know, if the possibility of
>wintering selfstanding units as large as (or even less than) a pound of
>bees for the cost of 5 - 6 kg sugar stores would be desired in spite of
>the fact that they would have to be keept in special hives.
 
Here in Western Canada (minus 40C occasionally), it won't even nearly work
oudoors.  Some extensive experiments have been done, but I don't know the
results indoors.
 
The research exists, I don't know where to find it off the top of my
head.  Alberta, BC, and Manitoba have all worked on it, but it has not
become a widespread practice.
 
An approach that has been sucessful is to make fall splits into single
and winter the two halves indoors.
 
Extensive information on ideal indoor wintering buildings for up to
thousands of hives are available and indoor wintering is widely practiced
in the west.
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper
Rural Route One, Swalwell,  Alberta  Canada T0M 1Y0
Phone/Fax: 403 546 2588      Email: [log in to unmask]