Bees not hungry?

[alynewbee]

Hi All,

I inspected my ladies yesterday and they seemed very light on stores, very little in the brood box (perhaps one frame total), a super barely drawn on top of that, and a super about 2/3 full on top of that. So I decided I'd dust off my new rapid feeder and give them some 1:1 syrup. As I watched, some bees came up the centre and had a sniff around, so I lidded up and left them to enjoy. Today I lifted the lid expecting to have to feed them again and they'd taken nothing. Still lots of bees in the middle but none eating anything and nothing taken. I was surprised. Now the question, is it possible that I've got my rapid feeder set up wrongly (Couldn't really see any other way of doing it) or could it be that the ladies are not hungry - the weather has been awful for the last couple of weeks but we've had two nice days. Any advice? Many thanks - Alyson

 

[Polyanwood]

Hello Alyson,

I wouldn't feed them if they have honey they can eat. They prefer honey and nectar to syrup. Also feeding syrup with your supers on risks them filling the supers with sugar syrup rather than fragrant nectar. This would make your honey adulterated.

Probably a good job they didn't want it.

 

[oliver90owner]

You have an empty super on and they are not collecting a surplus? You are feeding while they have about 7 kilos of stores in a super and some in the brood?

There may well be a 'June gap' in your area.
I might be considering removing the empty super, but certainly not feeding them, if there is so much stores already.

Part of every inspection is to assess stores. I know mine are not collecting a huge surplus (they are storing rather than consuming, though).

RAB

 

[alynewbee]

Once again, this forum comes to the rescue of my inexperience. So glad I asked, thank you Polyanwood, just nipping out to take the feeder off.

 

[alynewbee]

You have an empty super on and they are not collecting a surplus? You are feeding while they have about 7 kilos of stores in a super and some in the brood?

There may well be a 'June gap' in your area.
I might be considering removing the empty super, but certainly not feeding them, if there is so much stores already.

Part of every inspection is to assess stores. I know mine are not collecting a huge surplus (they are storing rather than consuming, though).

RAB

Hi Rab,

Just looking back over my inspection records and I see that I put the second super on 1st week of May because the first super was full of bees. I put it underneath the full super. Since then they've done nothing with it at all, and the first super is less full now than it was. Do you think I should take off the empty super and just leave the one 2/3 full one? Definitely going to nip out and take off the syrup. Thanks - Alyson

 

[Poly Hive]

When you add a super it is because the bees need storage space.

If your first super is "full of bees" there is no need to add another until the first super is getting close to being full of honey. By getting close I mean on a nine frame super if 6+ are well on then add another one.

Hoping this helps

PH

 

[alynewbee]

Many, many thanks. So helpful. Alyson