>>        The singles are often overwintered over a strong hive.(Even a single
>>medium can survive the winter here like that).   They generally survive the
>>winter and do good the next year but they are not always of sufficient
>>strength in late spring to rent out for blueberry pollination.
>>
>>Regards Stan
>
>Would someone please explain in detail the process of putting two hives
>"together" for the winter without actually combining them?  I know this is
>old hat for many on this list, but there are others like myself who just
>don't know the exact details and don't want to find out the hard way.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Rick
 
Hi Rick:
 
The piece of equipment necessary is similar to an inner cover.  It is
generally a piece of plywood with a top and bottom rim (super length and
width) and a notch for top entrance of the bottom hive on one rim and a
notch for bottom entrance of the top hive on a different side of the other
rim.  Fancy ones have notches with doors all around and you can choose which
to open.  They also usually have a cut out in the middle of the plywood
which is screened top and bottom so the queens are positively separated.
When they have been in use for many years the screens are sometimes heavily
propolized and IMHO the heat from the bottom hive will go up to some extent
even through a solid piece of plywood without giving the top hive the
additional moisture loading that they get when there is a screen.
 
As has been mentioned on the list, there is also some drifting up of bees
which tends to boost the weaker top hives.
 
I find these boards are very useful for doing splits, as the limiting factor
in spring splitting seems to be that the queens can only lay a brood pattern
of size that the colony can heat.
 
As to caveat emptor (buyer beware), I am uncertain as to what Allen is
getting at.  I did give my geographic location in the post, and I did not
advocate or try to "sell" any type of management, I simply stated what I had
success with.  For many years the old Nova Scotia provincial apiarist, Endel
Karmo, advocated wintering in Eastern Canada using multipacks of single full
depth super brood chambers.  These were based on four hives on a rectangular
stand such as Allen uses, but with several layers of hives on top.  He had
good success with this and many people around here saw his hives as there
were numerous open houses at his apiaries.
 
One very nice feature of the divider boards is that the top hive is able to
keep the bottom board clear of dead bees and debris because it is heated.
 
I wish Allen had been more specific about whatever he took issue with in my
post (but I'm sure he will be).  I assume that he meant that a single medium
depth brood chamber could not winter in Alberta, and I will admit that even
here it has to be well stogged with good stores and have a young queen and
not too many bees and bees of the right age (a late summer well fed nucleus).
 
I choose to take his other comments either as a compliment to my writing
abilities rather than an insult to my beehives or as something directed to
postings in general :)
 
Regards Stan   (45.683 degrees north latitude, -62.700 longitude on a windy
island surrounded by ice for four months of the year, not nearly as cold as
Alberta, but much, much damper and with wild temperature fluctuations)