entrance block

[DaveS]

Hi hope you can help...

I hived a 5 frame nuc last weekend and am feeding the bees. I have put in an entrance block but wondered whether in this weather I should remove it - I have an open mesh floor if that makes a difference. I ask as I've noticed that the syrup in the rapid feeder is evaporating suggesting it is hot (there is a cover for the feeder but the sugar is crystallising on the bottom and the lid has a lot of condensation.

Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

How strong was the nuc when you hived it? How much stores did they have? have you dummied down or have they got the run of all eleven (if it's a national) frames?what strength syrup are you using?
Small entrance will be fine.You can carry on feeding them until they draw the whole hive out, but they'll only doo it when they're ready and you might end up with them using up all available space and with no laying space for the queen - they may swarm. Four or five litres of syrup should be enough to kick-start them.
You'll get condensation in the rapid feeder regardless of the weather - the heat of the hive will cause that.

 

[DaveS]

Thanks for the quick response!

It's my first nuc so hard for me to say whether it was strong there were plenty of bees but not a massive number of brood. Reasonable amount of stores.

I am feeding 2:1 syrup - I had read that you feed them 1:1 but 2 beekeepers told me otherwise. I've put in about 5 litres but they don't seem to be getting through it very quickly.

I added 4 frames of foundation when I hived them and have resisted peeping in to see how they are getting on - at the weekend I will inspect and add more frames if necessary.

I'll keep the small entrance for now - I was just a bit worried that it may be too hot.

Thanks again.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

2:1 will crystalize easier than 1:1 which would have been fine for them, that's probably why they're a bit slow getting it down, so I take it now you have nine frames in total in your hive (three short from a full hive) with a dummy board at the end.
Really speaking you could have held off hiving the nuc until they were on four frames of brood, but they're in now so no point changing it. Don't add any more frames until they've drawn all that lot out and HM is laying in seven of them as long as the other two aren't chocker with stores.Ease off the feed now.And if you have some - a sheet of kingspan over the(hole-less) crown board will also help

 

[BeeJayBee]

2:1 is too rich for this time of year, they need a thin syrup to hlep them draw comb - which is 1:1.
You may be able to get away with just adding some water to dilute what's already there, but it's probably better to make some fresh. Give them just a couple of litres at a time otherwise it can go mouldy.

There's more information about feeding on the Beebase leaflet "Feeding bees sugar". https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/downloadDocument.cfm?id=741

It starts of by explaining how to make 2:1, then says

For some feeding, usually when it is for immediate use by the colony, thin syrup is used.
This contains twice the quantity of water and is best made up for use as required.​

More Beebase information leaflets are here https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/index.cfm?pageid=167

 

[drstitson]

as per others - usual to use 1:1 for immediate use and 2:1 for storage (ie autumn feeding).

"added 4 frames of foundation when I hived them"

i know it is warm at present but usually best just to give the bees 1-2 frames of foundation at a time to work on (and dummy down the hive) as they need it. we're not talking a large swarm in comb making mode here were talking a 5 frame nuc which is a small established colony which has the full range of housekeeping tasks to do.

 

[Finman]

.
You are making quite much harm to your nuc now.

5 frame nuc is a viable colony but....

You have good summer in UK now. Let the bees gather their food from nature. You cannot help the colony with feeding. It goes controversy, - what ever those 2 hive owners ever say.

You said that there is not much brood. It means that the expansion is not rapid, but the queen has space to lay unless you do not fill it with sugar.


With feeding you just block the tiny hive and the queen have not room to lay.

5 frame nuc is 5 frame nuc and not 10 frame.

You must wait that colony grow and then you give more space. Put dummy board and move it

Shut the mesh floor.

Keep about 10 cm x 1 cm entrance open.

 

[Finman]

i am feeding 2:1 syrup -.

stop it at once!

If you have mere food frames there, take them off.

Leave frames to laying as much as possible.
In 5 frame nuc one food frame is enough.

Take foundations off, Reduce space with dummy board and keep only one foundation on side.
.

 

[DaveS]

Thanks for all the responses - I think one of the challenges of beekeeping is all of the differing opinions.

Originally my plan was to hive with 2 extra frames and feed 1:1 syrup but I was persuaded by the 2 (separate) beekeepers that suggested it should be 2:1 (and I did argue that I thought they needed immediate use strength but I bowed to greater experience). I was also told by the supplier that I should just put the nuc straight in with a complete set of foundation (I didn't simply because I hadn't made up that many).

I'll open it up tomorrow and if little progress made remove some of the foundation and push the dummy board across.

Thanks again

 

[MonseigneurBienvenu]

I think opinions are fine, as long as people give you the time of day to explain why and give a sound, logical argument for their point of view (and if they don't, well...), or qualify it. I tend to think it worth it to squeeze this out of people who just assert stuff; for one thing - you can learn so much! It seems to me that the worse challenge is when people pose opinion or empirical observation as fact (correlation not causation and all that), - makes it hard to sort out what really is a "range of options" from "this is the way"

Looking forward to finding out what happens next. And you know what, I'm sure it won't be anything terrible.

Good luck!

A

 

[Finman]

Originally my plan was to hive with 2 extra frames and feed 1:1 syrup but I was persuaded by the 2 (separate) beekeepers that suggested it should be 2:1 (and I did argue that I thought they needed immediate use strength but I bowed to greater experience). I was also told by the supplier that I should just put the nuc straight in with a complete set of foundation (I didn't simply because I hadn't made up that many).



Thanks again

If you have a swarm, advices given to you were right. But it was nuc. Nuc is a small ready hive and it has food and everything there. It is small and it needs small space.

Perhaps a beginner is not able to make difference with "feed" and "feed if needed". But I do not believe that becauser "experienced" beekeepers are like mad to feed their hives. At least they "encourage" to feed.
It is same in US forum.
.