Feed stations.

[Curly green finger's]

Hi, I've a feed station out on the Common which consists of 1 x block of fondant 1kg and a 3lt jar feeder with a weak salt syrup solution.
I've just counted 4 queen wasps, 5 bumblebees and 12 honey bees feeding together..

Im now going to find my tin hat and hide maybe become a troll!
Cheers.. Comments?

 

[Murox]

Open feeding is always controversial, personally I use it too, BUT I think its very situation dependant. You will always be feeding other wildlife, my apiary is secluded from any other (known) apiary (nearest is full 5 miles away) so I am not concerned about that; proximity/distance to other hives also matters - far enough away to discourage any possible robbing, so most definitely not suited to most "urban or suburban" gardens.

 

[pargyle]

Why would you be feeding with the amount of forage about at present ? All you are doing is encouraging them to store sugar rather than foraging for nectar.. which is just about across the whole country now. Look at this thread:

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43640&page=73

Well - probably not in the artic wastes of Campbelltown where Murox is ..

I do think open feeding anywhere is a big no-no though ... asking for trouble.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I do think open feeding anywhere is a big no-no though ... asking for trouble.

words fail me at such a moronic action in general

 

[enrico]

In think you may need your tin hat curly.especially at his time of the year. Why would you want sugar in your honey?
E

 

[Murox]

Why would you be feeding with the amount of forage about at present ? All you are doing is encouraging them to store sugar rather than foraging for nectar.. which is just about across the whole country now. Look at this thread:

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43640&page=73

Well - probably not in the artic wastes of Campbelltown where Murox is ..I do think open feeding anywhere is a big no-no though ... asking for trouble.

Its always worth asking WHY people feed, right now I am not, they have plenty of stores except pollen which is now becoming available. As it happens the sun is shinning a promising 12-13 degrees though the SE breeze makes it feel a lot cooler.

words fail me at such a moronic action in general

For the uninitiated perhaps you could say why open feeding is "a moronic action".

 

[Heather]

Yep, poor practice.. and now there are flows on. Bees will cope without your intervention/feeding!

 

[Curly green finger's]

The water salt syrup is very weak and is fair enough.. The fondant well yeah no need! Left overs!

Im OK feeding syrup in the hive??

I've an out apiary 1/2 a mile away and there's another apiary 5 miles away so I'm much the same as murox isolated ish..

Im allso feeding out side very minimal amounts and honey bees are not really feeding on the fondant.

How certain are you that there's no remains of winter sugar syrup in your hives unless you have used die and even then..?

This is allso a bit of a experiment for this beekeeper not just about honey bees.

 

[Ian123]

If you want to feed them stick a feeder on. The other beek up the road you are not aware of does not want sugar in his honey.

 

[drex]

But why are you feeding when there is likely to be plenty of nectar about? ( I know area dependent). I have supers on so would not feed. I will feed shortly, when I start queen rearing, but the supers will come off and the bees crowded down into the BB.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Its always worth asking WHY people feed, right now I am not, they have plenty of stores except pollen which is now becoming available. As it happens the sun is shinning a promising 12-13 degrees though the SE breeze makes it feel a lot cooler.

For the uninitiated perhaps you could say why open feeding is "a moronic action".

Can enable the spread of disease.
fighting
contamination of others' hives with sugar.
Another poor american bee 'husbandry' habit

 

[Poly Hive]

So lets take these as "given".

Isolation. Healthy. Autumn.

Under these circumstances which esp the isolation is hard to understand but for some of us it is a real situation, this kind of feeding works very well.

Further, it stops robbing not encourages it as why try to fight guard bees when there is loads to get for free.

I fully agree that in populated areas it could well be disastrous but in the right location, it works a treat. Been there done it.

Even when the outside feeder was empty and they were shifting 5 gallons+ a day from it, there was no robbing. They waited for the feeder to be replenished in the morning then woo.... it got busy. 60+ stocks having a field day.

PH

 

[Finman]

Hi, I've a feed station out on the Common which consists of 1 x block of fondant 1kg and a 3lt jar feeder with a weak salt syrup solution.
I've just counted 4 queen wasps, 5 bumblebees and 12 honey bees feeding together..

Im now going to find my tin hat and hide maybe become a troll!
Cheers.. Comments?

Feed station...

Makes noy much dense... that is a toy.
.
You have 4 hives. They fight with each other in open feeding even there are no neighbours.
.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Emyr, I really respect your knowledge in beekeeping but I think that blaming the Americans for this bad ' husbandry' is wrong.
They are just a bit more forthwith and camera happy than us.

Beekeepers will and have been feeding outside in this country for years.

Im not trying to cause an argument but just my honest opinion.

 

[Finman]

Emyr, I really respect your knowledge in beekeeping but I think that blaming the Americans for this bad ' husbandry' is wrong.
They are just a bit more forthwith and camera happy than us.

Beekeepers will and have been feeding outside in this country for years.

Im not trying to cause an argument but just my honest opinion.

If you feed from feeding box, storing process takes 24% out of original sugar.

What do you think , how much open feeding riot takes energy? Not at least a sustainable method.

They are your beeds. You do what you want.

.

 

[MerryBee]

is this thread unique?
Jenkins and Finnie seem to be agreeing

 

[Finman]

is this thread unique?
Jenkins and Finnie seem to be agreeing

That is poor old joke

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Emyr, I really respect your knowledge in beekeeping but I think that blaming the Americans for this bad ' husbandry' is wrong.

You obviously havent seen the pictures of American commercial farmers just popping the lid of a couple of 50 gallon drums of syrup in the middle of a holding apiary.

 

[Curly green finger's]

You obviously havent seen the pictures of American commercial farmers just popping the lid of a couple of 50 gallon drums of syrup in the middle of a holding apiary.

I haven't emyr, I can only imagine its complete carnidge.

 

[pargyle]

is this thread unique?
Jenkins and Finnie seem to be agreeing

AND ME ... that's three times in living memory. Finnie is right though .. not a good practice. Even the die hards in our association gave up open feeding years ago, even though they keep the matchsticks handy !