I've been meaning to post this for quite some time. What with all
the rain, and all the "swarmers" to manage, I've hardly had time to take
a breath this spring. Ahhh...pshew. There I've had my breath.
    Seriously, if you are a northern beekeeper, and are losing a
significant number of colonies each winter, listen up.
    Before tracheal mites, I could winter bees very sucessfully. Never
had more than 10% winter loss, and was able to make increase each
spring. The TM took care of that. I tried menthol. Didn't work for me.
Resistant bees (Buckfast) made things better, but I still had about 20%
loss over all (1000 colonies). After watching a beekeeper here in
Vermont have great sucess over wintering nucs, I decided to try it.
    The first time, I made up mid-summer nucs and gave them bought
queens. While most made it through the winter, I wasn't impressed. Many
were weak, and didn't build up well come spring flows.
    This past summer I decided to try it "his" way. I broke up 30
colonies into 4 frame nucs, each getting 1.5 to 2 frames of bees. These
were in double 4 frame nuc boxes. I gave each a queen cell within the
next three days from one of two breeders that I chose. From approx. 180
nucs started, 170 raised a queen. Because I used Buckfast bloodlines
(hybred) I had a wide variety of results. Some were wicked strong, some
were not. Some had chalkbrood, some did not. Etc, etc, etc. In the fall,
I moved these double nuc boxes onto the top of strong colonies(actually
every colony in three yards). I fed them HFCS if they needed it, and
packed them away for the long winter.
    In mid-March I checked them for the first time since November. Some
were boomers, full of bees. None had brood yet. Some were dead, but most
were at least alive. My first feelings were of disappointment. Too many
weak ones. Then pollen began comming in.
    By the beginning of May, things had entirely changed. The boomers
were bustin' out all over, and the weak ones had turned around. The
final results were amazing. I'm not one to be easily impressed. I've
been in bees too long and seen too many "all ya gotta do is" turn sour.
Well let me tell you-I am impressed.
    For the first time in years I didn't have to make up nucs from my
strong colonies to replace my winter loss. Even the weak nucs had 4
frames of brood. I've restocked several yards that I moved out of for
lack of bees. For the first time in years my strong colonies weren't
split and are making honey from early flows. What a plus!
    The boomers--12 days after transfering them to 10 frame equipment
they went from from 4 frames of brood to eight.
    Believe me when I say - this is the northern beekeeper's salvation.
Do it!
                                              Michael Palmer
                                              St. Albans, Vermont