confused, what strength syrup

[Nuc]

Hi folks, apart from reading about bees and owning my own nuc for all of two weeks i am totally new to beekeeping so please be patient.
My 5 frame nuc is settling down nicely but not 100% sure about what to feed. After reading Clive de Bruyen i began feeding full strength (2:1)sugar syrup as he says this is the only strength syrup he feeds. However most people on the web seem to feed 1:1 syrup for comb building which is what my bees need to do as well as expand in numbers.
What should i be feeding ?
Also which is the best feeder as at the moment i only have a small rapid feeder which they empty in 2 days. Would a millar feeder be best ?
Thanks all in advance, please excuse the basic questions.

 

[plumber rob]

Welcome
1:1 for comb building
2:1 for food AND WINTER STORES
just read this on on of the other threads
regards rob

 

[huntsman666]

I'd give them slightly lighter than 2:1.

When do you intend putting then into a full size hive? Nucs, while having a number of uses are really only a temporary home.

 

[Headnavigator]

Hello Nuc - the answer to this, as with most questions, depends entirely on who answers. However I'm in a similar quandary with my two newish swarms and it was put to me that 2:1 syrup is OK but they will tend to store it more readily than 1:1 syrup, which they will hopefully use rather than store. I'd stick with the rapid feeder unless you're planning to add thymol as the syrup goes off very quickly and a two-day turnaround of rinse and replenish may well be healthier than letting the stuff sit around going manky. Hope this helps!

 

[Nuc]

thanks for quick replies. Bees already in national brood box with some foundation to work on as well as their original 5 frames. Crown board now on top with rapid feeder over hole.

 

[richardbees]

Nuc

...in that case the correct feed is 2lbs sugar / 2 pints water but don't keep feeding them.....or you'll finish up with a BB full of syrup and no room for brood !!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've been feeding my new colony 1:1 syrup since Thursday (and some a fortnight before - drawn out four frames when I checked today brood on seven frames and a minor populaition explosion on the go.
By the way - how much thymol should you put into the syrup to stop it going mouldy?

 

[richardbees]

jenkins,

Thymol is designed as an additive for Winter feeding - we're just giving a helping hand in late Spring to boost comb building and help them through the June gap. This syrup will have been used within a few weeks.

Richard

 

[huntsman666]

I take it that you have no supers on at the moment but I wouldn't use Thymol now as it could upset the bees. Leave that for the autumn feed.

Why should syrup go mouldy? Sugar is a great preservative.

 

[Heather]

No, syrup does go mouldy- not a preservative in that state..
I will discuss with Clive in November when he comes to stay with me

 

[richardbees]

heather

Surely syrup being fed now won't be around long enough to go mouldy?

 

[merylvingien]

No, syrup does go mouldy- not a preservative in that state..
I will discuss with Clive in November when he comes to stay with me

Is this a forum romance? LOL
Bloody hell, and there i was spending all money on match dot com

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

jenkins,

Thymol is designed as an additive for Winter feeding - we're just giving a helping hand in late Spring to boost comb building and help them through the June gap.

Richard

No super on as yet, probable before long as they are going to need room the way they're going.
I'd just heard that some people put a drop of thymol in to keep the syrup from going mouldy, not a full autumn dose and thought I'd ask as it had come up in this thread to store in the old information bank for later use (being a beginner, i'm a bit overdrawn at the moment)
It doesn't take long for a few black flecks to appear in the feeder
Emyr

 

[Headnavigator]

Surely syrup being fed now won't be around long enough to go mouldy?

Three to four days. Hence small feeds and frequent cleaning of feeders.

 

[richardbees]

Emyr

We're going round in circles with this - if it's in your contact feeder long enough to go mouldy means the bees don't need feeding. I've never seen syrup once in a hive in June go mouldy.

Richard

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Richard
They've been taking down the best part of a rapid feeder full a day although they are starting to slow down now (weather has been bad for a fortnight and they've used up all their stores)
It was just a general question, as the subject came up, to store in my ever increasing pile of useful information in case i need it in the future
Emyr

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Richard
Just done what I should have done at the start, searched previous posts and read the thread with hivemaker's thymol syrup recipe so now know a bit more about the whole thing (I'll get there eventually!!)

 

[Poly Hive]

Wow someone who has found and used the search function.

A very large gold star to you.

PH

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Thick syrup will work but bees will need to increase the water content to use it properly so thin syrup is best unless you want them to store it when it should be thick so they have to remove less water to get it down to a state where it won't ferment.
I feed stays on the hive for a long while, then it is probably not needed (unless they have propolised the holes up). Bees generally prefer proper nectar than syrup.

 

[DanBee]

Why should syrup go mouldy? Sugar is a great preservative.

Are you serious? Make some 1:1 syrup, leave it in a sealed bucket for 3 weeks in a warm place, then have a look at it...