Great help - lots of useful information greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, around the area we live there are not many experienced bee-keepers and it seems a case of the blind leading the blind. However, there is a good supplier an hours drive away - with my limited French should have some...
Thanks MJBee
From all the replies it certainly looks like I need to review my feeding strategy - not just the amount, but given that there was a large amount of untouched candy when I opened the hive, where the food is placed as far as access is concerned.
Can I take it that most people use...
Hi dclewis
I take your point. Maybe it was a case of there being plenty of food but not readily available. As per my first post, I am learning as I go along and gained most of my direction from the bee shop with the associated potential for a language glitch. The feeder I used (and the candy)...
Hi Cazza
I put in two lots of 2Kg candy during autumn and winter (on the advice of the local bee shop) but as I mentioned nearly 2Kg was still in the feeder (and no bees) when I opened the hive.
Hi Enrico
Thanks for your quick reply. I don't think the problem was lack of food as I gave them 2Kg of candy in autumn and another 2Kg just before winter (most of this was still in the feeder...). Other details are;
- they were a strong colony at the end of summer (italian bees purchased last...
Hi Everyone,
I have just joined the forum after 2 dismal years of trying to keep bees in SW France doing everything from books....!
At the end of this winter I have just opened things up to find an empty hive (a few dead bees on the bottom of the hive) again. This is the second time this has...