All mixed up and not feeding

[David G]

Now it's not me that's all mixed up and not feeding it's me bees, last week a friend and I mixed two swarms I had a queenless swarm in a National hive that were the most placid bees in the world and very settled. I don't know why I am surprised but now I have mixed the swarms together with flour there is an air of aggression about the hive and I have been stung twice already once while putting the washing out and the second time while mowing the lawn, I am hoping they will settle down again as bee keeping is not quite as much fun as it was just lately.

The second thing is that a while ago before the mix of two swarms the sugar went a bit black in patches and some bees died in the feeder. I put a message on this forum and was told the black mould can kill bees so I cleaned it all out and refilled with a smaller amount and replaced on the hive. The problem is the bees have never really fed like the used to and again today there was some (about 20) dead bees in the syrup its a big green feeder the completely covers the hive and has clear cups the bees can access the syrup through. A short while ago when I opened the lid there would be bees feeding but not in the last few times I have checked. Any ideas on what I can do to stop them dying and encourage them to feed or is this all part of the mixing of two swarms.

Thanks

Dave

 

[susbees]

Do you know you had a Q- swarm or did you have a swarm with a non-laying or unmated queen? How long had they been hived? Had they been treated for varroa recently?

The standard wisdom for combining bees is to use newspaper between the colonies and to KNOW one is Q- first. Or to combine from three or more stocks using a light syrup spray maybe with a couple of drops of essential oil for example to mask pheromones.

I did exactly this to two mini-nucs a fortnight back. Both had young bees well mixed from several stocks added. One settled well, the other fought. Nothing is definite with bees.

As for the stores situation, how much is in the brood box? And what are they bringing in?

 

[David G]

Hi susbees
3 of us checked for queen or eggs or brood with nothing found the bees have been here for a month now. I have not put the treatment for varroa in because of all this unrest and fear of losing the swarm

Thanks for the reply

Dave

 

[Poly Hive]

Sorry David but what you have said does NOT indicate a queenless state.

Unless you use a test frame in your situation you cannot be sure that you don't have a virgin, something that does not appear to have crossed your horizon.

Some research on here into queenless would have thrown up more than one thread where this very issue has been discussed.

As for uniting with flour? What book are you going by please?

PH

 

[drstitson]

are your bees dying in the syrup around the inside base of the cups or the main syrup reservoir? There should be NO access for bees to this area either directly from the hive through the "cups" or under the lid. You need to check that you are closing properly and that the cups are located properly centred over the access cones.

 

[David G]

Hi drstitson
They are dying in the feeding area the cups and lid are all fitted properly I am going to put more syrup on today. I have read that others seem to lose a few bees this way
Thanks for the help
Dave

 

[drstitson]

provided the cones are rough enough deaths in the feeding area would suggest a stampede to the feed with collateral damage. Think unfortunate deaths at rock festivals.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Dave - I had a few deaths last year with the green feeder, but they have been largely fine this year, so I'm assuming a one off problem such as doc suggests. To encourage them to feed drip some syrup down the feeding hole with your hive tool.

 

[victor meldrew]

provided the cones are rough enough deaths in the feeding area would suggest a stampede to the feed with collateral damage. Think unfortunate deaths at rock festivals.

I've also seen this and bees in the feeding area trapped by crystalised syrup!
VM

 

[susbees]

I've also seen this and bees in the feeding area trapped by crystalised syrup!
VM

Quite so.

One of the downsides of believing 2kg:1l is the same as 2lb:1pint. Works at the 1:1 level cos it ain't supersaturated.

 

[pbh4]

One of the downsides of believing 2kg:1l is the same as 2lb:1pint. Works at the 1:1 level cos it ain't supersaturated.

They are the same in the USA!

 

[David G]

I have made up some new syrup 2:1 water dripped some down inside the frames and inside the access cones and see how we go from here. I am desperately hoping they will take enough down to get them through tthe winter.

Thanks for all the helpful responses

Dave

 

[MuswellMetro]

Quite so.

One of the downsides of believing 2kg:1l is the same as 2lb:1pint. Works at the 1:1 level cos it ain't supersaturated.

perhaps we should call 2lb to a pint as 908:568 or 1.6:1

some of the rapid feeds i see look like icing rinks after a few days