A little update on how we are doing

[Tremyfro]

We had sorted our hives in regard to what was going where for the winter....and decided that the frames of uncapped nectar would go under the BB on Hives 1&2. The nuc...which we had hived into a polyhive...was light on stores and needed varroa treatment.
So here is what we did.
We had treated the nuc( now in hive) with API...something var. This took some weeks. We had also put in some fondant with bee goodies in it.
We needed to replace the varroa treatment...so, as we hadn't seen the Queen for a while and we were worried about the stores...decided to check quickly through the brood. Amazing....lots of sealed brood and eggs...saw a lovely fat Queen...with a little of the green colour on her...so we know she is the same one we bred...our first Queen. Some stores in an arc over the brood. All over 7 frames. So fairly happy. We also put a box of partially unsealed nectar under the BB. Need to add another slab of fondant to help increase the stores a bit more.
Hives 1&2 had clearly had a lot of fun with the cappings we put in the hive for them to clean up. Now have 2 plastic boxes coated with wax! Hefted both hives and still, we think, too light but heavier than last time. Both were given a slab of fondant.
The hives were all very active...still bringing in HB...and lots of pollen.
Plan is to check weekly by hefting...the amount of stores and add more fondant as necessary.

 

[Amari]

40-odd years on I have lost faith in hefting so now use electronic luggage scales (abt £10).
Insert screw or hook both sides of hive floor, weigh each side, multiply x2.

 

[aidskywalker]

I wouldn't feed fondant, it's not necessary. A thick 2:1 syrup is best now as they will store it better and only if it's needed.

 

[Davelin]

Fondant won't add to your stores, it is for immediate consumption.

You need to be feeding 2:1 syrup for winter stores, whack it in in a big feeder so they take it down and store as quickly as possible.

I would only feed fondant in late winter/early spring if needed.

I also use luggage scales to monitor weight. I aim for 35-40kg now, but obviously depends on hive type etc.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Fondant won't add to your stores, it is for immediate consumption.

The bees will still take fondant down and store, same as syrup feeding, some feed fondant only, i did for for a few years.

Here is a little information on fondant feeding from Peter Edwards.

http://www.stratfordbeekeepers.org.uk/PENotes/Fondant.htm

 

[JohnyP]

I've also started using electronic luggage scales from Lidls.

I have been weighing every other day during feeding just by way of experiment. Only problem is that I first weighed with just the BB, i.e. no roof, contact feeder etc., so now I have to strip back to the BB so I can get a like for like measurement each time.

They are putting on about 1kg per day, some of which may be ivy, but I suspect that with this warm weather there is still a lot of BIAS in the BB so there is a limit to how much more sugar they have room for ATM. My commercial boxes (weighed at the back only) currently come in at about 24kg.

 

[Davelin]

The bees will still take fondant down and store, same as syrup feeding, some feed fondant only, i did for for a few years.

Here is a little information on fondant feeding from Peter Edwards.

http://www.stratfordbeekeepers.org.uk/PENotes/Fondant.htm

Thank you, you live and learn.

 

[oliver90owner]

Feeding fondant or syrup; hefting or using a weighing scale.

Both are alternatives. Like lots of things concerned with beekeeping. As for specifying weight, one may need to discern between gross and nett when posting. And do not follow the advice given above, if using weighing scales! It is clearly wrong! Simply adding together the two observed weights is the correct mathematical manipulation. Just keep things simple!

Fondant requires water to be taken down as stores; syrup needs to be dewatered. Fondant can be used directly as food when syrup would not be taken.

Weighing is for those that cannot make a judgement by simple hefting. There are most that can and a few that can't heft. It is not rocket science and previous observations give a good indication of when the hive is adequately provisioned (previous space and how much feed has been taken down, along with the foraging opportunities taken into account - all simple beekeeping practice.

I have a digital luggage scale, but have never yet used it on a hive. Those that weigh, rather than heft, are
still split again - between those that (know how to) do it correctly and those that don't.

 

[Davelin]

Don't think there is anything wrong in adding a bit more accuracy to your methods.

I can tell the difference between a light hive and a heavy hive, but still use the scales for more accuracy. I weigh each side and add the readings together. The figures I quote are what I know is sufficient for my setup, taking into account the type of box, roof etc I use.

When I am on the golf course I can make a pretty good estimate of the distance to the pin by eye, but I use a GPS range finder to check.
Doesn't mean I can't do it by eye, but if the technology is there to help, use it.

 

[oliver90owner]

Do you select your golf club by computer?

 

[BeeJayBee]

I wouldn't feed fondant, it's not necessary.

Why ever not? Baker's Fondant is as good a substitute feed as sugar syrup, and it doesn't tend to ferment.

A fair question could be whether any feeding should be necessary, but if it is then there are a number of options and none of them are completely wrong at this time of year.

Fondant can be used directly as food when syrup would not be taken.

I've seen colonies rescued from the brink of late winter starvation by fondant. The bees can use it when it's too cold for syrup, so it's handy to have if Spring is either delayed or it's too wet for the bees to forage.

 

[Tremyfro]

I have used fondant because it is convenient. I am a small person and not particularly strong. If I have to lift the liquid for any reason...it is going to get spilt. Spilt sugar water is going to cause robbing. The blocks of fondant are easy to carry and don't spill. My bees are gobbling it...so must be storing some too. If they don't want it....they won't use it. Also, no matter what they have stored...if the fondant is there...they won't run out of food. I have used the same type of plastic cartons that are used for takeaway meals. I make up the fondant and then store them in stacks. Very convenient.
I am hefting my hives because it is an easy quick way of approximateing the stores. I have poly hives so they are a bit lighter than wooden ones especially when the wood is wet. By looking in the hive I was able to heft and compare with what I could see. Now I know they need more stores. Thank you Hivemaker....that article is good and explains all my reasons for using fondant. The bees are out all the time foraging but there are still lots of bees in the hives so they need a lot of food just to tick over. Supplying the extra makes it easier for them. I am sure there are lots of different opinions on how to feed the bees and I am sure they all have equal merit.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Only problem is that I first weighed with just the BB, i.e. no roof, contact feeder etc., so now I have to strip back to the BB so I can get a like for like measurement each time.

.

You'd only have to do that once, surely.

 

[pargyle]

I've also started using electronic luggage scales from Lidls.

I have been weighing every other day during feeding just by way of experiment. Only problem is that I first weighed with just the BB, i.e. no roof, contact feeder etc., so now I have to strip back to the BB so I can get a like for like measurement each time.

.

Just weigh the roof etc. once and then deduct it from the total weight when you weigh with them in place ?

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

My bees are still bringing in loads of HB and my 14x12 is chockablock full of stores and brood - there would be no room for extra food if I fed them anyway, having extracted and let them clean up one wet super. I am hoping nature will take its course this year, and as brood decreases they will fill up the spaces with stores over the next couple of weeks......

 

[Tremyfro]

My bees are bringing in loads of HB too but I don't think it is indicative of the amount of stores. They have been doing this for weeks...then we had a look...it was very light of stores...so they must be gobbling it up every time the sun goes in!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think it depends on the weather. The HB isn't yielding much here as it's so dry. Still getting white bees here too but ivy had just started so that's where most of them are going

 

[Swarm]

Just come back from closing them up, funny old day, the bees are very busy though. Strong smell of Ivy and lots of yellow pollen and a surprising amount of Balsam, still. Bees arriving almost completely white, maybe the recent dampness has helped.