feeding due to bad weather in May

[Grif]

due to the current poor weather meaning the bees cannot get out and forage (despite plenty being available), are many people finding that they are having to feed colonies that are short on supplies?

 

[For want of a better word]

A slab of candy over the crownboard feed hole will not do any harm if you are worrying... but if as some claim you are already adding supers, then definitely not needed... they will eat their stores!


Yeghes da

 

[Thymallus]

due to the current poor weather meaning the bees cannot get out and forage (despite plenty being available), are many people finding that they are having to feed colonies that are short on supplies?

Yes, my local rascals were down to a few small patches of sealed stores, so filled a couple of empty store frames with syrup and fed this way.

 

[user 3509]

We fed 2 colonies on Monday as they had consumed all their stores. The third colony on that site seems to be bringing a lot of nectar in. It is amazing how hives in the same area differ.

 

[For want of a better word]

We fed 2 colonies on Monday as they had consumed all their stores. The third colony on that site seems to be bringing a lot of nectar in. It is amazing how hives in the same area differ.

AND it should be noted the particular type of Apis mellifera you have!
My Amm colonies are doing fine... a neighbors imported hybrids are on the bottle already, having gobbled up all their stores... greedy little girls!!!



Yeghes da

 

[Dishmop]

due to the current poor weather meaning the bees cannot get out and forage (despite plenty being available), are many people finding that they are having to feed colonies that are short on supplies?

No. Never. And if the weather was so bad that they didnt go out and forage I wouldnt be poking around looking inside the hive..

Bees work around it....No food.....queen doesnt lay. Bad weather, bees sit and do nothing,(like in winter) thus not needing as much food as if they were flying.
If you could shine a torch into the cells, you would probably see that there is honey there.......

 

[Chris B]

Apiary location is significant.
I have seen both ends of the scale over the last fortnight. Identical bees, different locations. Best ones are near the river - maybe too dry elsewhere for much nectar. Rain over the last few days should pep things up for next week.

 

[Dishmop]

Apiary location is significant.
I have seen both ends of the scale over the last fortnight. Identical bees, different locations. Best ones are near the river - maybe too dry elsewhere for much nectar. Rain over the last few days should pep things up for next week.

Not been too bad in Norfolk..
Bees have been out most days unless its been cold and dull.
Bit of rain doesnt seem to bother them....and its amazing that they even think about flying in the wind we have had here for the last two days.....

 

[Thymallus]

AND it should be noted the particular type of Apis mellifera you have!
My Amm colonies are doing fine... a neighbors imported hybrids are on the bottle already, having gobbled up all their stores... greedy little girls!!!



Yeghes da

Interestingly, in North Yorkshire at least, it's the opposite situation with my colonies. I've had to feed all my supposed well adapted local bees as down to their last patches of stores and nowt in supers, whereas my imports still have plenty of food in the brood box and supers.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I put a litre of syrup on three.
Little foraging for nearly two weeks now.

 

[snelgrove]

Fed my colonies in April with thin syrup. Rape full out and horse chestnuts aswel plus loads of dandelion. Weather been cold , one of the slowest starts to the season here for a long time. Al will become good in time

 

[jonnybeegood]

Fed my colonies in April with thin syrup. Rape full out and horse chestnuts aswel plus loads of dandelion. Weather been cold , one of the slowest starts to the season here for a long time. Al will become good in time

Horse chestnuts, already? Ours have only just opened their leaves.

 

[McNulty]

Horse chestnuts in flower here in Southport too (that's the cold north-west part of England). The oil seed rape and dandelions were a week or two late but im pretty sure the horse chestnuts weren't in flower this time last year, strange old season.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Horse Chestnuts not far off here as well - good leaf cover and flowers well developed but not open yet

 

[bontbee]

Is that because of your mountain ? They're out down here - the white ones, at least

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well we are a bit higher here, they may be open by now - just realised that I haven't been over to the Garn Cottage hives for nearly a fortnight!

 

[snelgrove]

Horse chestnuts, already? Ours have only just opened their leaves.

Yes defo out the distinctive red pollen being taken in

 

[Erichalfbee]

I spotted the first Hawthorn blossom out yesterday but no Chestnuts.

 

[Marton]

First chestnuts here (white ones) but no hawthorn.

Never seen so many dandelions.

But if it's not cold it's wet and/or windy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[YorkshireBees]

There can be such a difference between hives in the same apiary.

I have one on 4 supers already and others that have barely started the 1st !

Duly noted which hive as they will be bred from.
Last year they were a grumpy lot but produced well, this year they are like kittens so far!!!

Queen is August 2014 so obviously they changed behaviour with the new queen.

Just wish they would tell the others where to get nectar from!