feeding in February and bees collecting water

[louiseww]

I went to a question and answer meeting at our local association on Tuesday. The chair who has 25 years experience suggested that we all start to feed the bees because down here in the south east they are getting very busy and will be using up their stores very quickly. A 1:1 syrup was suggested and I did this yesterday on my two hives using rapid feeders.
I also spoke to another member who has been beekeeping for 46 years and he said that he had learned something this month - he noticed water on the frames and tasted it and it was water. There was no condensation so he has assumed the bees are bringing it in to dilute the stores which have crystallized! So the syrup will do two jobs, give them a boost and provide water.
Regards
Louise

 

[Poly Hive]

Precisely.

More it gives them water in house which saves them trying to go and get it in rough weather.

As posted several times before it saves stress as does having a pollen source in house.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

So the syrup will do two jobs, give them a boost and provide water.

Is this the poster or the beek of 46 years.

If it him, he hasn't noticed much in that time or if the poster, not been reading the umpteen posts on the topic recently.

Never mind any granulated stores, they need water to feed the increasing number of larvae. Nectar is the food choice for bees; honey is nectar less a lot of water. The obvious connection is a simple one.

RAB

 

[Jim Lavie]

So the syrup will do two jobs, give them a boost and provide water.

Never mind any granulated stores, they need water to feed the increasing number of larvae. Nectar is the food choice for bees; honey is nectar less a lot of water. The obvious connection is a simple one.

RAB

When the bees are clustered in winter do they need to dilute the honey and what do they use?

 

[SteveJ]

Above what temperature can you start feeding 1:1 Syrup? Up here in the north the forcast is showing day time temperatures of 7-12 degC for the next two weeks.

SteveJ

 

[drstitson]

presumably temperature not so important as the influx of pollen - if there is brood to feed then some liquid will also be much appreciated.

 

[oliver90owner]

When the bees are clustered in winter do they need to dilute the honey and what do they use?

No and nothing. Why would they dilute the honey, simply to 'burn' it? Firemen use water to reduce heat, bees use the honey to release thermal energy.

 

[oliver90owner]

will also be much appreciated.

I think the extra water is a necessity. Never actually checked the % water in a larva, but it will not be 'a good deal less than 20%' which is what you will get if you mix honey (carbohydrate) and pollen (protein) as food! There will be the water as a product of metabolism of the carbohydrates, but I suspect the gravimetric balances would not add up without some water addition from somewhere.

 

[drstitson]

i presume they will be at least 70% water (unless deep fried).

 

[Heather]

If no water near the hive (10'away) I set up a shallow bowl with lots of sticks in so bees have safe access.- or a bowl with florist oasis in but very little water puddled under- they cling to the oasis and draw water out.
Its essential to them x3- they need the fluid anyway for their own hydration- they need to flush their digestive system , they need to reduce any hard granulated stores to be edible

 

[oliver90owner]

That was about my 'ball park' minimum. They ain't going to brood so many new larvae, with honey at less than 20% water content, without some water from elsewhere!

Somewhere there will be documented weights of brood at different ages and all that. All I know is that in a week that hydro-skeleton goes from and 'eggshell' to almost filling the cell - and most of it is water.

So that is the most important reason for extra water in the early spring build-up, before nectar is available in plenty.

Regards, RAB

 

[bushman1872]

Could be wrong here but I like steve J thought that hive temp was fairly important as to whether you fed them syrup or candy. Surely if the weather is too cool then they are not going to be able to evaporate off the excess water to enable them to store the food without it going mouldy which in its own right could cause problems. Or is this the point that they will not have to cap the syrup just simply feed it to the larvae straight away. Just concerned that whilst we have had the odd good day this month there is still the potential for it to remain pretty cold and miserable for another couple of months.

 

[Poly Hive]

sorry to say you are missing the point.

Food storage takes place in autumn.

We are now talking spring stimulaition and you will have noticed, I hope, that the syrup now being talked about is half the strength of autumn feed.

There is a very good reason for this.

We do NOT want it being stored. It is a bribe if you like, to tempt the bees into using it for brood feeding with water.

The last thing you want in spring is syrup being stored.

Why?

Well lets have a wee think about this. There are empty cells around from which the winter stores have been consumed.

Where is the queen going to lay if those cells are bunged up with syrup?

As for warmth. Why do you think I keep going on about frame feeders. If you want to feed your bees in spring then a frame feeder is in my experience much preferred by the bees.

PH

 

[bushman1872]

point taken, when do you tend to start the spring feed then?

 

[TOBY-3652]

Just what i was thinking a friend of mine that has 30 hives says he is going 2 give 1-1 syrup between first of march and the fifteenth

 

[bushman1872]

Thanks for that Toby.

 

[Poly Hive]

I would politely suggest he is going to make a mistake.

http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8784&page=5

Post 46.


PH

 

[TOBY-3652]

A' mistake why????? Because of the dates given? When would be the best time be cos i would of also made the same mistake he told me he gives 1-1 in a honey jar say on a monday then nothing till about fri then againe mon then againe friday about 4 honey jars in total no more

 

[Dishmop]

Carried out a little experiment yesterday on my obs hive.

Gave them a small amount of fondant..about a tablespoonful and some fresh water... about a small teacupful.

This morning the fondant has gone and so has the water...... What is unusual is that the water consummed is more than twice the usual amount for the same period.

so really I suppose that is the same as giving them syrup....

 

[Poly Hive]

Sorry Toby I mis read that last night as 2:1... weary eyes.

PH