Hello Chris,

I am in the process of doing my pre-winter-wrap chores in the bee yard.

Over wintering a small colony by it self is tough in north country.
I place weaker, colonies in a duplex nuc box. ( One colony on either
side of
a deep box, five frames each, separted with a bee proof divider.)

I place this duplex on top of a strong hive, separte the duplex from the
carrier hive with a double screen board. Uppper entrances are a must as
are vented top insulating boards. I use Homesote , it's made of paper
and
absorbs moisture.


> Here are some of my options:
> 1.  Just feed them additional syrup with a pail on top and try to overwinter
> them above a strong colony.

Don't do this.

> 2.  Unite 1 light weight colony with 1 strong colony (newspaper method).

This is OK.
> 3.  Unite two light weight colonies together to try make one strong
> one(newspaper method)

Why not try the duplex nuc method!

> 4.  Give each light weight colony a new queen( I have some mating nucs that I
> could unite them with), and then feed them additional syrup.

There is not enough good weather left in the season to do this.


Ernie Gregoire

Grist Mill Apiary

Canaan, NH. USA