Feeding in the June gap

[Mossie]

I got hold of a nuc about a week ago. All 5 frames were absolutely full of bees.
When I transferred them to their new hive they seemed to be a bit stroppy but that's probably understandable due to being cramped in a travelling box for a couple of days.
I was advised by the supplier that they might need a feed due to the June gap. I gave them what we had in the house at the time which was .65 Kgs sugar at 1:1.
That disappeared in a day and I'm wondering whether I should give them now a full 1 Kg of sugar. Is there a problem if you over feed them ?
I put the frames in the warm way and filled the remaining space behind with new foundation which I see now they are starting to draw and all seems calm and relaxed.

 

[Hawklord]

How much stores have they got?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Look in and check the stores. They should have a frame's worth to get them through to the next time you look in. They are better working on one or two frames at a time rather than being given an extra 6. So it would be prudent to dummy down and add frames as needed.
If you feed more in the presence of sufficient stores they will use that to draw comb and fill it, just when you want them to be filling it with brood.
June Gap was pretty short here....maybe 2 weeks and bramble is starting. What is your local forage like? The probably can look after themselves now.

 

[Mossie]

They've got 1 frame with about 2/3rds uncapped stores.

They seem to be coming in with plenty of white and bright orange pollen, whatever that is !

 

[Dishmop]

They've got 1 frame with about 2/3rds uncapped stores.

They seem to be coming in with plenty of white and bright orange pollen, whatever that is !

If they've got stores they dont need feeding.

 

[oliver90owner]

It is not simply how much stores they have - although if clearly inufficient and likely to starve they must be fed - it is also your down to you, as the beekeeper, to note whether their stores are increasing or decreasing. That is one of the several key questions when inspecting.

If sufficient and increasing they can be safely left until the next inspection. Your observations of flows and weather conditions can be used to assess their needs without actually looking in. Clearly as a beginner you err on the safe side. But excess feeding will limit the colony expansion; think here - bees drawing comb and storing excessive amounts of sugar syrup are not helping to increase the brood nest size.

Increased numbers of bees is your target, not a huge amount of stores while they remain a small colony. Your nuc should have arrived with adequate stores to last until the next inspection. Many suppliers are not interested in what happens to the nucs they sell - just as long as they last a few weeks so that any losses can be blamed on the new beek, not the vendor. If they swarm because of no space, they are not responsible; if they don't expand in numbers, they are not responsible. They are not likely to die in a few weeks if over-fed.

Not many would advise you to add a couple of foundation frames at a time and dummy down the unused space. But there, perhaps they expect the purchaser to have some experience already. Not all nucs go to beginners, after all.

 

[Finman]

.
June gap does not mean that they will not get enough food from Nature. It means that You do not need to expect much surplus honey.

If flowering gaps mean starving, very few swarm in nature would be able to start their nest.

But If the seller propose to feed them, it is Better to do so. He knows best the nuc.
0.6 kg is Almost Nothing.

A

 

[Finman]

.
I keep to myself a rule that if colony has 5 frames in summer, it should have one frame food all together. In 10 frame hive 2 frames of food. With that store the colony goes over 2 rainy weeks.

A big hive consumes about 0.5 kg a day, but 5 frame nuc is about 10% from full size hive.

A full langstroth frame has 2-2.5 food

 

[oliver90owner]

Yes, Finman, but we also have bees in the UK that apparently use up almost a whole super of stores in a week!

Of course, never seen it myself, but that is what was reported recently! Also, IIRC, the colony was without open brood as well! I have never needed to feed a colony with anywhere near 10kg of sugar in one week, to avoid starvation

I agree with your methods (mostly) and certainly should not argue with you on this section!

RAB

 

[Finman]

Yes, Finman, but we also have bees in the UK that apparently use up almost a whole super of stores in a week!

RAB

So do I, but it is not a 5 frame nuc.

 

[Dishmop]

.
June gap does not mean that they will not get enough food from Nature. It means that You do not need to expect much surplus honey.

If flowering gaps mean starving, very few swarm in nature would be able to start their nest.

But If the seller propose to feed them, it is Better to do so. He knows best the nuc.
0.6 kg is Almost Nothing.

A

As a matter of interest, what figures do you have for overwintering stores needs?