Feeding Bees?

[Finman]

or would it better to use a frame or 3 of honey/comb saved from last year that wasnt extracted as it had apivar treatment

i could break the wax ?

IT is better. You should get the combs empty. Bees brake the caps . You do not need to do that.

 

[Millet]

basically i have an eke ...but no fondant

its mild here in sarf london ... so 1:1 syrup could be used

or would it better to use a frame or 3 of honey/comb saved from last year that wasnt extracted as it had apivar treatment

i could break the wax and stick it in an eke and let them use that ?

I have placed frames of stores on the crown board many times and the bees quickly clean them out..it is better that breaking all that valuable drawn foundation up..

 

[Finman]

I have placed frames of stores on the crown board many times and the bees quickly clean them out..it is better that breaking all that valuable drawn foundation up..

Bees do not clean quickly crystallized honey.
And if you uncap the stores, bees draw crystals onto the hive floor.

 

[Beefriendly]

Ok, but notice that you give sugar kilos enough..

Now now Finman It's not the time of year for the annual syrup making bunfight.

 

[Millet]

Bees do not clean quickly crystallized honey.
And if you uncap the stores, bees draw crystals onto the hive floor.

I can't remember mentioning crystallized honey but then again i might be loosing my marbles..

 

[mike99]

If you are desperate and near Wynyard i can drop you 1kg of to get you over..

Thanks for the offer Steve but they haven't taken all of the fondant so the delivery will get here in time. As it keeps, I have ordered another couple of slabs for next season.
As it turns out I will be in Wynyard tomorrow but I am taking my boss so a slight detour to get some bee stores might not go down well....

 

[citrus]

I have placed frames of stores on the crown board many times and the bees quickly clean them out..it is better that breaking all that valuable drawn foundation up..

Thanks for the confirmation ... so see through crownboard off .. eke on ... cover the one hole up ....frame of capped stores lying in the eke ...see through crownboard on top of that ...

my next qeustion ... how to stop them building comb around the frame ..fill the void with something else ?

 

[Swarm]

Close the hole to just a couple of bee spaces should help.

 

[Finman]

Now now Finman It's not the time of year for the annual syrup making bunfight.

To you it seems to be actual.
. I recommend 1:2 syrup.

 

[citrus]

Close the hole to just a couple of bee spaces should help.

good idea that man .. so size of a 50p coin?

 

[Swarm]

good idea that man .. so size of a 50p coin?

Smaller, try a 1p coin.

 

[Curly green fingers]

This is precisely the danger of getting too far ahead.

Take the hint we are still in Winter. The rain changed to snow at 11pm last night.

PH

There was a frost with me here , and snow showers forecasted for me over the next few days .
I was thinking syrup but have thought it better for fondant so six colony's are having two kilo's each later even if it's raining .
I can remember this time last year putting fondant on in the snow.

 

[Poly Hive]

My thoughts are that fondant is the safe option.

Syrup at this time should be thin to stimulate brooding and its too early for that here so I wouldn't use it. Thick syrup gives them a load of work which at this time is going to wear out the old codgers faster than need be so that's a bad plan.



PH

 

[Wingy]

In fear of being hung drawn & quartered I’d say spring was here over the past couple of weeks. I did consider showing my bees the calendar but not sure they would have believed it.
The way 1 particular hive has accelerated has lead me to take steps normally associated with April-May time. Not going into detail but if others are in a similar situation be prepared to loose swarms very soon.
Tin hat on ready for the fallout

 

[Newbeeneil]

In fear of being hung drawn & quartered I’d say spring was here over the past couple of weeks. I did consider showing my bees the calendar but not sure they would have believed it.
The way 1 particular hive has accelerated has lead me to take steps normally associated with April-May time. Not going into detail but if others are in a similar situation be prepared to loose swarms very soon.
Tin hat on ready for the fallout

Past me a spare tin hat Wingy as I felt the same when I had a quick peek last week. Some of my hives are going to be bursting in the next few weeks due to the amount of sealed brood evident.
Forecast for the next month is not indicating a cold snap either......

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thick syrup gives them a load of work
PH

But what is fondant but even thicker syrup of you want to go down that road. Thick syrup needs less water than fondant to make it edible to the bees and if they store it, needs less work as well.

IMHO, if you have a poly nuc (Maisie's or Payne's) there is no harm in feeding them thick syrup or invert all winter long - I've done it and no harm to the bees.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thick syrup gives them a load of work
PH

But what is fondant but even thicker syrup of you want to go down that road. Thick syrup needs less water than fondant to make it edible to the bees and if they store it, needs less work as well.

IMHO, if you have a poly nuc (Maisie's or Payne's) there is no harm in feeding them thick syrup or invert all winter long - I've done it and no harm to the bees and they shouldn't need feeding until about now anyway, if at all

 

[Ian123]

Yes does not look like theres a cold snap in the offing and atm there saying drier and more settled towards the end. I will take a guess at first posting re a swarm on here last week of March.....Anyone else

 

[madasafish]

In fear of being hung drawn & quartered I’d say spring was here over the past couple of weeks. I did consider showing my bees the calendar but not sure they would have believed it.
The way 1 particular hive has accelerated has lead me to take steps normally associated with April-May time. Not going into detail but if others are in a similar situation be prepared to loose swarms very soon.
Tin hat on ready for the fallout

No drones flying here yet (no inspections so don't know about drone brood)
No drones usually means no swarms.

 

[Ian123]

But what is fondant but even thicker syrup of you want to go down that road. Thick syrup needs less water than fondant to make it edible to the bees and if they store it, needs less work as well.

IMHO, if you have a poly nuc (Maisie's or Payne's) there is no harm in feeding them thick syrup or invert all winter long - I've done it and no harm to the bees and they shouldn't need feeding until about now anyway, if at all

Agreed i feed late into autumn and dont see any issues with bees having to work...Biggest issue with feeding late or early is the temp of syrup and the fact if the syrup is cold they wont touch it, as opposed to fondant being in touch with the cluster they will use it