>
>   you winter nuc's. top of production colonies.
>Just for clarity, what do you mean by "on top"?
   Peter


The two 4 frame nucs are in a box with a solid bottom board. The whole unit
sits on the inner cover of another colony for winter.


>
>
>For you a tough winter consists of what type of climatic conditions,
   Peter


I'm in northern Vermont, 12 miles from the Canada border. We have very cold
snowy winters, with 4 to 5 months without bee flight.

>
>why do you say that 50% is a low loss rate?
>  Peter

Sorry, I said that wrong. I meant that 50% survival rate was actually a low
rate. This winter I had a survival rate of 80%. 20% were weak...less than 2
frames of brood at the end of April. These I let build up on 8 frames by
moving the feeder to the sidewall. I just split them up. From the 50 or so
weak nucs, I made 125 new nucs that will be wintered.

Mike