(Note: In keeping with this author's apparent wishes, I no longer am
relaying his articles or quotes of them to Best of Bee.  A shame, I think,
since he occasionally has a good piece -- like the one quoted here
(without permission?)).
 
> We have, for many years made up nucs to winter over till the next
> year, and every year had losses from 40-60% for various reasons. This
> year I have tried a new idea of mine and up to now ( touch wood etc.)
> have a 100% pass rate.
 
A good idea too, and one that is well proven.  Several years ago (5+)
Barrie Termeer received a Farming for the Future grant as I recall, and
did a similar project over several years here in Alberta.  He published
the results in Alberta Bee News under the title "Verticle Nucs" (I think
BN was still called the 'Skeptic' at the time).  The system has been in
use, I understand, by Tom Hegan for quite a few years too. I think that
after the first year Barrie went to separate boxes for each half of the
super, using a thin wall on the inner side but stacked them to look like a
standard double brood chamber hive.
 
I haven't personally rtied it, although I have the equipment for at
least 100 hives specially made for this purpose that came with an outfit I
bought 7 or more years ago.  The boxes are 3/4" wider than standard
dimension because it can be hard to jam all ten frames into the box, five
at a time,  with a divider,  and still have a little room on the sides of
each half.
 
The previous owner had run the vertical half hives as two queen colonies
by placing an excluder on top of the second box and adding supers, then
wintered then with a tight lid to keep the queens apart. After a while he
had given up, and twisted the second over a bit to let one queen run
through the whole works.  I switched to standard dimension boxes and these
beautiful boxes go unused.  I plan to nail plywood on the bottom, drill
auger holes, and use them for 5 frame nuc boxes. Actually I appreciate the
reminder, since I am thinking of installing early packages into some as a
test.
 
Barrie no longer runs verticle nucs AFAIK.  I think he decided it was too
labour intensive changing everything back and forth and having all the
extra equipment on the truck.  Maybe he is reading this and will comment.
 
> In previous years we tried single box hives (ie. 10 frames), we've tried
> them in packs, and mounted on top full hives and still lose a number of
> them.
 
Singles are very successful out here.  If they are made in June as 1 or
two frame nucs and fed, they will be in two boxes by fall and winter
normally.  Some in the Peace winter them as singles indoors as does
Neil Vanderput in Carmen, Manitoba.
 
IMO, the single biggest secret in making small nucs to winter is to make
them *early*.  The next thing is to be sure they *never* become plugged
during the summer.  If they do, they will die during winter.  If they are
fed and expand to doubles they will be the most useful and the least
trouble, however anything over 6 combs *can* work.  See the Fairview site
for 6 frame nucs indoors
http://www.internode.net/honeybee/fairview/winterin.htm
 
Failing that, if nucs for wintering are made in the fall, make sure that
they are made *much* fuller with bees than you would think necessary.
 
Singles year round outdoors have also been very successful in some cases:
there was an article in ABJ some time back about some fellas in
Saskatchewan who are having great success, both in honey and wintering,
but I personally have not found them to be a good as doubles. (see the
logs).  FWIW, I bought 125 wintered singles in May at Glanworth ON (near
London) about 25 years ago and they had come through at very close to 100%
success in wooden wintering boxes using wood chips. (Harrells queens).
 
> Now fashion a folding inner cover. Ours are hinged in the middle, which
> allows one side to be manipulated without disturbing the other.
 
We have used Plastic, sacking, canvas, or an inner cover with a slat down
the middle.  Lately on divided boxes (we have quite a few two and three
and 5 frame nucs that use divided boxes) we use our pillows described
previously.  The hinged lid sounds ideal, however canvas is cheap
and folds back well.
 
> One final point, arrange the hive entrances at the front of the long
> sides. Do not under any circumstances have both entrances on the front
> short sides!!
 
We have never found this to be a consideration and a often have hive
entrances immediately adjacent or just drill auger holes in the front.
It is better to drill on in each end for nucs if there is no 'front' or
back. YMMV.  Some types of bees are much less successful at orienting and
drift badly.  So I'd do what works for you.
 
> If anyone would care to comment, or if I am not concise enough then I
> would appreciate discussion.
 
This is a successful, proven management system.  It has a number of
possibilities and is well suited to a small to medium sized operation.
Back issues of Bee News may be available from the ABA office in Edmonton.
Website: http://www.albertabeekeepers.org/
 
My comments are based on my experience in the Canadian prairies.
Wintering in Southern Ontario can be easier and less stressful.  In fact
there is a part of Ontario that is as far south as part of California.
Nonetheless, Muskoka (where my ancestors homesteaded and my dad wintered
his bees) is farther north and can be quite similar to Alberta in terms
of temperatures, so the Alberta experience may apply.
 
Hope this is useful
 
 Allen
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