Feeding following a split

[Lozza]

Is it true that you shouldn't feed immediately following an artificial swarm.

I've just had to do an AS not didn't have much drawn comb available, I feel that if I feed too heavy they will fill all available cells with stores instead of allowing the queen to lay.

Any views?

 

[Hivemaker.]

If the weather is good and there's a honey flow then no need to feed very much,if not and you don't feed then queen won't have anywhere to lay as they cannot draw the foundation. The original parent colony will also need feeding if they don't have much stores, as they have lost the foraging force even if there were a honey flow.

 

[ainsie]

Feeding

Hi H. M, if there is no flow would it be best to remove any supers from the parent colony temporarily, then feed until all the foundation is drawn out.Most books advise to put any supers on the parent colony after performing an A/s but I thought bees could only draw out foundation if they have an income and not from stores.Hope this post makes sense!.Ainsie

 

[Tom Bick]

Hi ainsie If the parent colony has supers on and they have either nectar and honey in them then the bees will use them and no need to feed