>
>Is it such a big stretch to imagine a colony in 5 mediums?  While it is true
>that
>I myself would not enter winter with such a configuration, my bees (NWCs)
>are famous for ceasing brood-rearing early, and wintering with a smaller
>cluster.
>jim


I would agree that NWCs will winter with a smaller cluster, and require a
smaller hive. When spring comes, this is no longer true. I tried to winter
NWCs in two hive bodies. We have a big dandelion flow in May. They build up
so fast, that two hive bodies don't have enough room. NWCs are swarmy
enough without restricting the hive size. The NWCs will build cells and
swarm, when the rest of the strong colonies in the yard are just starting
to have cups with eggs, or young larvae. So, I winter with two deeps and a
medium. That gives me just that little bit of extra time to get around to
all my yards before they swarm. I could take the medium off in the fall,
and put it back in the spring...before dandelion bloom, but what would be
the point. It's safe on the hive....dry, no mice or wax worms, and I don't
have enough inside storage for all those extra boxes of comb, anyway. And
if I did, I would still leave the extra room on the hives.

Mike

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