Feeding new swarm

[King Scavenger]

Hi All. I have just got a free bee swarm and I don't know how long to feed it for.
The weather is warm so they should be getting out to get pollen and nectar. I know it will take a time to build the hive up but do I have to feed them until that's done? Advice is welcome.

 

[ratcatcher]

I would have thought, untill you see built comb with stores/pollen etc

 

[King Scavenger]

I would have thought, untill you see built comb with stores/pollen etc

I was thinking that so, many thanks, ratcatcher, Let the fun begin!!

 

[oliver90owner]

Swarms of unknown provenance should not be fed fof the first three days to avoid possible pathogen-laden honey being stored. Bees have got by, without being fed by humans, for millions of years. The supplier should at least know something about them, how long since collection, etc.

I would only feed a colony if it needed it. Rarely fed a swarm, some being collected from a bait hive up to around a week later. They will not need pollen for the best part of a week at least.

Beekeeping is about observations. Just keep your eyes open.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I've just hived a swarm from a bait hive and I have put a feeder board on top but more for convenience than anything else should I need to feed.
They boxed themselves mid afternoon and in two hours were out foraging.
Overnight they had built comb and filled it with nectar so for the moment no feed.
June is in the offing and I should imagine the Hawthorn will be gone by then but I noticed flower buds on the bramble this morning.

 

[thenovice]

As said, you do not need to feed in this good weather we are having but it will speed things up. It will be easy for them to make comb if you provide the energy for doing so. They will take whatever you give them (we are talking kilos of sugar) until you stop feeding and will store it in the comb they have been drawing. If you let the sugar run dry, the drawing frenzy of your swarm will cool down.

if you feed syrup they will still go out for pollen and that will increase when the queen starts laying no matter if you are feeding or not.

Make sure not to put supers when feeding as you will be storing suger syrup instead of honey

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They will take whatever you give them (we are talking kilos of sugar) until you stop feeding and will store it in the comb they have been drawing.

EXACTLY! Aand if the combs are stuffed with nectar - where will the queen lay? couple of litres of 1:1 maybe to kick start them but no more ,I'm talking from experience - they will draw a little comb then fill it, thren draw some more then........ no point - there's a good flow on, so leave them to it!!

 

[pargyle]

EXACTLY! Aand if the combs are stuffed with nectar - where will the queen lay? couple of litres of 1:1 maybe to kick start them but no more ,I'm talking from experience - they will draw a little comb then fill it, thren draw some more then........ no point - there's a good flow on, so leave them to it!!

I gave my swarm, last June, 2 litres of 1:1 ... took it down in a day ... then nothing - within a week they had built out 5 frames of comb on foundationless frames ... just bloody incredible ! It wasn't even a big swarm ... and June last year was still quite cold at times and followed a lousy spring where everything was 2 months late starting ...

Look here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/99514363@N06/sets/72157636258571594/

Swarm hived 5th June 2013 ...this was the inspection on 20th June 2013.