Feeding while using Apiguard

[The Riviera Kid]

Is it ok to have my miller feeder on the hive *and* be treating the bees for varoa with apiguard at the same time?

 

[Rosti]

I think views are mixed but with a consensus of "better to feed if you must" preferable to starving!

Try not to feed in the ideal world because the miller will allow some top ventialtion that you dont want and air space you dont want the bees to have to keep warm and reduces any vapor concentration (both reduce treatment efficacy). I don't think it's the end of the world though.

I'd watch how much you give them, still too early to be filling up valuable available brood comb with syrup, better to get the final batch of brood for young healthy winter bees. Give just enough to keep them going and feed in earnest end of sept after your varroa treatment is complete, but not too late - before the ivy fully comes in otherwise you could have rock hard stores that the bees wont utilise anyway (well thats my approach)

 

[madasafish]

I use a frame feeder so no ventilation issues...

 

[The Riviera Kid]

thanks for that. I had already started feeding one colony in accordance to advice in Hooper who suggests starting to feed at the end of the first week in September. They're currently chomping through their second lot of 5 litres of syrup!

the second Apiguard tin had been on for ages... they just didn't seem to want to clear it out. My second colony didn't cap the honey til a bit later and they're being given apiguard now - they have hardly touched it and it's been in there for nearly 2 weeks!

the rate they're going through the apiguard it will be October before they finish it and I think that's too late to start feeding them.

Or not??

 

[RoofTops]

Fera have just pushed out the enclosed. If you register on BeeBase and check the box to receive e-mails from them they will send you things like this.

What the leaflet does not give is much indication on timing for feeding but down here in South Devon there are plenty of people who start in late August. The timing depends on the amount of forage and how many stores the bees have. Mine were running very low so they all being fed now. They also have a thymol treatment at the same time.

 

[The Riviera Kid]

I use a frame feeder so no ventilation issues...

have never seen a frame feeder... my dad and I made my miller feeder between us.

Fera have just pushed out the enclosed. If you register on BeeBase and check the box to receive e-mails from them they will send you things like this.

What the leaflet does not give is much indication on timing for feeding but down here in South Devon there are plenty of people who start in late August. The timing depends on the amount of forage and how many stores the bees have. Mine were running very low so they all being fed now. They also have a thymol treatment at the same time.

i am on bee base but don't get any mails from them. i will log on and see if i have got some setting on there such that they don't send me stuff.

thanks for posting that.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Rosti,
I have not seen a problem with Ivy stores not being eaten. Yes they can go like slabs of cement but it's always gone by Spring. Yum Yum for the bees I say.

 

[madasafish]

Frame feeder?

DIY with waterproof ply... Pretty crude efforts for a TBH - this was my prototype which is then varnished and joints sealed with molten beeswax. Single frame TBH feeder holds approx 1 ltre..

 

[The Riviera Kid]

thanks for the pics of your frame feeder. so the bees crawl through the hole, sit on the bits of wood and can drink the syrup, correct?

i checked again today and the bees have still hardly touched the apiguard. they've got another dose after this one!!

i think that I'm gonna have to start feeding them soon...

 

[louiseww]

Yes and it came too late, it should have been sent mid August!

 

[madasafish]

thanks for the pics of your frame feeder. so the bees crawl through the hole, sit on the bits of wood and can drink the syrup, correct?

QUOTE]

The bees climb through the gap between top bar and the sides of the feeder - see Picture 1 - which shows it assembled..

In a TBH, the space above the bars is blocked off from the bees.

The hole in the top is for refilling ... normally closed by a small piece of wood.. to keep the brood nest warm.. see Picture 2