2025 SPRING, 10 FRAME SPLIT:NUC COMBINING:MOVING

3/4 Ten frame split nucs survived winter what next?
Combining 2 nucs into one box over a 7 day period after locating infertile queen . Did it work?
Separating 2 nucs from 1 box into two boxes over 5 day period. Did it work?
First year overwintering these small 5 frame nucs and as of now consider it a success and will do the same with more hives next year. If I don't need the bees then I can sell overwintered nucs at a premium. You can to, watch and learn...

If you are tired of replacing your dead bees every spring you should try something different in the way YOU keep bees. This video, along with my others discusses the benefits of using insulated hives.
This video will show the success of using an insulated single deep condensing hive with no upper vents, screened bottom board with removable board for summer and mite checks with an entrance reducer. The custom inner cover has 2 inches of insulation and telescoping outer cover is also insulated.
If you want to make the effort, attached is a link to my DIY insulated hive method or you can purchase insulated hives at a bee supply store. After 7 years I feel the three most important items to be a successful bee keeper in this order are;
Local bees, disease free bees, and insulated hives.
STOP buying package bees that are not adapted to the winter conditions in your area and expecting them to thrive in colder climates. Just because you pickup your bees locally does not mean they are local bees. There is in industry established to provide you new bees every year and they need your bees to die to stay in business. Some local bee clubs, their members and Facebook Groups are complicit in this business model and may even have a financial incentive not to change. There are other options.
In some cases local bees and frames are put with a queen that has not adapted to your local winter conditions and has been purchased from somewhere else and added to the package/nuc. This is not an overwintered nuc. In about a month, the old bees will die and be replaced by brood from the inserted queen that was not adapted to your climate making it more difficult for the hive to survive. Don't assume they are local bees/queens, ask your supplier!!
I recommend you show patience in the spring until the weather warms up and your local beekeepers can ramp up queen production and you buy packages and nukes from them. It can be difficult to wait when you see packages being delivered March/April and you are waiting until May/June but chances are you will feel better next spring when the same people are spending another $175. These recommendations come from my experiences learned while keeping bees, killing bees, saving bees and most importantly for this discussion having bees survive into the spring to make Honey.
I very seldom read the description and assume the same of others. If you read till the end let me know in the comments how you feel.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
00:10 - Blue Runway hive config change for combining, 12 March
01:08 - Infertile queen located/marked/removed, 10 March
02:30 - Yellow Runway hive config change, 12 March
04:50 - Yellow Runway hive combination success? 17 March
09:40 - Bee1 & Bee2 hive configuration change, 12 March
09:50 - Bee1 hive inspection, 12 March
12:20 - Bee2 hive inspection, 12 March
14:10 - Bee2 hive inspection/move into new box, 17 March
17:50 - Bee1 hive inspection/expansion, 17 March
19:50 - Removable bottom board inspection/cleaning

Increase Bee Winter Survival- Insulate Your Beehive - only $10, DIY Instructions
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