Michael Palmer wished to know how to manage two queen colonies and how to
overwinter a nuc.  I can t provide any first-hand experience with two queen
systems, but I overwinter a lot of nucs.
 
Our temperature lows here are -20F or so, and perhaps -35F with wind chill.
On average, I d say we get around two weeks where the nights reach these
lows.  If you are in an area where temperatures are much lower than this, I
suggest wrapping in addition to the method that follows.
 
I overwinter nucs by putting them on top of a regular hive. I remove the
outer cover and the inner cover from the regular hive.  I also make certain
the regular hive has an upper entrance.  I use an auger hole, but I know
others who just prop up one end of the nuc about < .
 
Be certain that by the end of October the nuc has at least 4 frames blocked
out with either honey or sugar syrup.  My nuc is in a regular deep and has a
3/8  solid bottom board. (As I recall, wood has an R factor of 2 for every
inch of thickness.)  I believe, but have not demonstrated, that the nuc gets
some heat from the hive cluster below.  I know of others who have their nuc
in  nuc box , that they put inside a deep and put that combination on top of
a regular hive.  I also know some who use an inner cover with the hole
screened on both sides as the bottom of the nuc.
 
As you can probably gather, there are a lot of beekeepers out there
overwintering nucs on top of regular hives.  I know of one beekeeper in
Vermont who overwinters 400 nucs every year in this manner.  He sells them
in the spring.
 
Lloyd
[log in to unmask]
Owner, Ross Rounds  the finest in comb honey production.