Bees on sugar

[rink123]

Hi All , Are these bees feeding by my hive, Honey bees ? If so will thay move in ,I am feeding them suger . thx

 

[VEG]

You risk bees from different hives fighting each other for the food.

 

[For want of a better word]

Stop the sugar water... put in some nice old black drawn brood frames.... a drop of lemon grass oil and pray to your chosen god........

some honey bees may move in that you can heap spoonfuls of sugar and tender loving care upon....

Sherry trifle anyone??

 

[rink123]

Thx for your fast replys , I have not got no old black drawn brood frames I am new to bee keeping sry , where can i get lemon grass oil from pls .thx

 

[Browntea]

I bought some today from my local chemist £4 for 10ml well worth it if it works!!

 

[oliver90owner]

Never mind the fighting, it is a good way to get any disease spread around all the local bees. One diseased bee in, ten or more out!

Lemon grass oil? All sorts of places called shops, aromatherapy suppliers, epay. Take your choice.

RAB

 

[the naked beekeeper]

Can I ask, do you know how to keep bees?
Been on a course? Helped at an apiary? Read some books.

The tone of your post suggests not.
And if that is the case, you'd be better informed by doing any or preferably all of these before trying to manage some.
You'll be happier and so will the bees.

 

[drex]

Your profile says you have no hives, but give a picture of your hive.

As the others above, I assume you are trying to bait bees into an empty hive. Put in sugar and you are declaring free food to any passing bee, who will go back to her hive and tell her mates, who will come and take more sugar - back to their home. None will stay. It's called "robbing"

Old comb and lemon grass oil, as above, are best attractants to bees scouting for a new home. I agree with the suggestion of reading a bit or going on a course or chatting with experienced beekeepers.

 

[rink123]

Thx Drex , And all of You for all your replys, I think that I have just put my profile right, That I have now got one hive made by me and the wife ?.But No bees . Just the robbing bees LOL. But to me its a bee . I am reading lot of books on bees , And going on a bee keeping course soon . So Now I am asking you for Your help, not a kick in the arse, If I get it rong . I am new to bee keeping pls . thx

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

Just remember you are dealing with living creatures.

 

[Steve Dyer]

Hi,

They may not be 'robbing bees'. Swarms send out scouts to find new homes, and I suspect that scouts may check out new homes even before the swarm has left the hive it comes from. The scouts will want to find a box of about 2 cubic feet or so that smells as though bees have been there, so a few frames of old comb do the job.

I'm not sure about funny oils and aromatherapy. I don't think the average "good place to live" smells of anything other than old bee smell.

If you haven't got any old comb then find a local beekeeper and ask him for a couple of frames. I make bait hives out of an old wooden wine bottle box from the local off-licence with a frame of old comb screwed to the top (inside) and a hole cut in the end. Set it up as high as possible on a flat sheet of wood and off you go.

Good luck!

Steve

 

[victor meldrew]

Rink123,
Please stop the feed .
Definitely do not feed honey ,especially supermarket stuff (if you do you will definitely cause and out break of foul brood)
Get as much info as you can before obtaining bees by what ever route, this will save a hell of a lot of heart ache and frustration !
Take your attempt at attracting a swarm to your hive .
Had you been successful , where would the swarm build their comb ?
Do you have frames of foundation in there?

No one on here is attempting to dissuade you from beekeeping , we all wish you well but we must point out the necessity of knowing what you are doing!
Bee's are very unforgiving when it comes to bad management and therefore a course or a mentor is essential , fora and books can not give you the hands on experience required before venturing into the world of beekeeping and the responsibility needed for the bees and to your neighbours.

Welcome to the forum .
If you feel you have just stood on a hornets nest ,worry not we are on your side

John Wilkinson

 

[goodbobby]

VM you could not have put it more succinctly. Rink123....I would either buy a nuc or leave your beekeeping until you have been on said course and understand a lot more , particularly about bee diseases. You could be a disease threat to other local established bee colonies. I support the theory that it is advisable to medicate any swarms you get while they are still broodless.

 

[susbees]

I would either buy a nuc or leave your beekeeping until you have been on said course and understand a lot more

Well that's conflicting advice if ever I saw it.

The OP is genuinely keen to be a beekeeper and has spent a couple of hours here with his wife going through a couple of small colonies and a top bar hive with me. He can spot drones, workers and a queen no problem, has seen a piping queen pulled and released into a colony, knows capped honey from capped brood etc. That is a stage or two beyond many beginners' questions on here.

So he has made a mistake and used sugar water (not honey!) to try and make the hive he has made himself attractive to bees. Quite a bit less dangerous than badly washed honey jars being put out for recycling I'd say. And he has listened. So enough.

Russ, keep reading and keep asking. What I would suggest though is you get an experienced beekeeper to look at that garden and see if it would be suitable for a hive or two, a nuc is not the same thing at all. BUT you should also ask around the area for an out apiary not too far away as you'll need it sooner or later.

 

[goodbobby]

Susbees Yup guilty as charged!....I was working on the assumption that given the few weeks time lag involved in finding and the eventual collection of a suitable nuc, Rink123 would need to be be ultra-focussed on prioritising reading and research.

 

[rink123]

Thanks very much Trisha , as you know I am completly new to bee keeping so was very happy to see some honey bees that I coaxed to my hive, I didn't mean to upset anyone.
I will get someone to look at the garden as you suggest {don't suppose you visit shrewsbury shopping or something lol if you do you are more than welcome hehe} . I have been out today building a frame work around to keep them out of neighbours gardens {hopefully}, don't know if I am doing it right or not, I had helpers a couple of honey bees on my back just visiting my hive lol.
I have no problem getting land to put more hives I am friends with alot of farmers around shrewsbury , they would be happy for me to put hives on the land. My reason for wanting one in the garden is that I will be constantly learning , I would see what was going on every day and if it gets too big I can just move them ,if I knew how hehe.
Thanks to everyone else for all the replies but be warned you may get more stupid questions coming from me

 

[victor meldrew]

It's been often written on here 'There's no such thing as a stupid question '
Expect a few stupid answers though' .
We all started with a blank sheet, the shrewd ones quickly learn to separate the stupid answers from the sensible ones , also learn how to avoid the zealot
Cheers Russ.

John Wilkinson

 

[susbees]

Yes of course we're in town sometimes Russ. My lad plays football for a Shrewsbury team but finally out-of-season. I'll give you a ring when the dust settles and pop round for a cuppa if I may and we'll have a look at the garden and talk farmers...lol. This next week is chaos though.

 

[Chris Luck]

Definitely do not feed honey ,especially supermarket stuff (if you do you will definitely cause and out break of foul brood)

You will also need to be careful what information to take to be true.

e.g. you may possibly cause an outbreak of foul brood disease BUT that will be a long way from definitely.

Chris

 

[mystil]

Keep asking questions and dont let anyone put you off.
Good luck