Apiguard/feeding...

[Floss]

Bear with me - I have another newbee question!

I am waiting to borrow an extracter which I should get mid week but there not much to extract, happy for bees to have it if they need. Anyway - this colony has slowed down but seems ok and I suspect using honey they have stored in the supers.

I had thought to treat with Apiguard which will take up to 4 weeks, so finish towards end of Sept.

My concern is that they go hungry whilst being treated??? They have not been bringing in a lot of stores so it would seem unlike my little colony who are "apiguarding" and bringing in orange/ yellow/cream pollen. (I am giving them 1/2 dose as recommended).

So, will they be ok with the apiguard, be able to cope food wise without their honey supers until end of sept and then, should I put supers back on for use/clearing?

Hope this makes sense. Many thanks for any advice!
Floss

 

[oliver90owner]

Floss,

Do you have such a thing as a frame feeder? Ideal for feeding smallish amounts on a regular basis. Ideal for a small colony as the frame would be close to the brood nest.

You will just need to monitor more closely. Weather and hive activity will eventually give you a feel for how they are doing from day to day and longer.

You can always leave a super frame of (uncapped?) honey in the brood box if you are concerned (if the brood is not fully occupied). If they don't use it, they will be bringing in enough food from outside.

These things depend on so many factors - lay rate, weather, crops in the locale, size of colony - that making a hard and fast prediction impossible.

Regards, RAB

 

[Floss]

Thanks RAB. I am still not use to there being few fixed answers to the many questions asked in bee keeping!!!

I have'nt tried a frame feeder but it sound like this may be more appropriate for the smaller colony.

I guess that if the main colony looks like its struggling then I would stop the Api guard and start feeding?

Cheers, Floss

 

[gtb]

I guess that if the main colony looks like its struggling then I would stop the Api guard and start feeding?

I wouldn't stop the Apiguard, keep going with it, add a bit of feed and see how they get on with it. The Apiguard works by being in the hive for a period of time, it is not "turn-off-and-on-able".