Feeding

[Roola]

I know this is geographically dependent, but maybe more for those in and around London, has anyone had need to feed yet? Seems very little in the way of nectar coming in now, i've two swarm colonies that look like needing some fod this week and wondered if the same for others? Would you stick with a little 1:1 for now to see them through the next few brood cycles before getting on the 2:1 in September?

 

[oliver90owner]

You probablg know by now I will say think, but what sugar concentration is the average, 'run-of-the-mill' nectar?

Certainly not 65%. They would have to collect water for feeding the larvae and they tend to just store 2:, then would have to dilute it more, for feeding brood.

RAB

 

[Roola]

You probablg know by now I will say think, but what sugar concentration is the average, 'run-of-the-mill' nectar?

Certainly not 65%. They would have to collect water for feeding the larvae and they tend to just store 2:, then would have to dilute it more, for feeding brood.

RAB

Cheers Rab, was my thinking too. Always best to double check before doing.

 

[beeno]

Hi Roola,
Hope not, but will let you know tomorrow. Lots of pollen going in so I had assumed there might be some nectar too!

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

No general need, despite the slim pickings. The only one I have fed is a very brood- heavy nuc that I don't want to hive yet. I nicked their flying bees for another nuc and I thought that was a bit unfair so I gave them a couple of kg in 1:1. And yes I check for swarm cells.

 

[Roola]

Hi Roola,
Hope not, but will let you know tomorrow. Lots of pollen going in so I had assumed there might be some nectar too!

yes, plenty of orange pollen going in here too, just doesn't seem to be much else.

 

[Nige.Coll]

I have 2 hives that have needed feeding for about 3 weeks.
They are on a farm that has harvested the crops and is kept very tidy so nothing around them to forage on.
Total contrast to my other hives.
There are a couple of trees with flowers on but nothing else. I'm hoping things improve when the ivy flowers in that area.

 

[Little John]

No general need, despite the slim pickings.

Respectfully disagree. I've just arrested a bad case of robbing - by feeding - the very thing which is supposed to start-off a robbing frenzy.

LJ

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Respectfully disagree. I've just arrested a bad case of robbing - by feeding - the very thing which is supposed to start-off a robbing frenzy.



LJ

OK but I gave a Londoner's answer to a London-specific question and you are in Lincs.

 

[beeno]

Respectfully disagree. I've just arrested a bad case of robbing - by feeding - the very thing which is supposed to start-off a robbing frenzy.

LJ

Hi LJ,
That's what I did too - fed the colony that was doing the robbing and it stopped thankfully.

 

[Little John]

Hi LJ,
That's what I did too - fed the colony that was doing the robbing and it stopped thankfully.

My lot all seemed to be doing it to each other (!) - so I put the whole apiary in 'lock-down' (all with topped-up feeders) for 24hrs to break the cycle, and am now feeding 1:1 to nucs so that they can gradually build-up stores, and 1:4 to the full-sized hives - just enough to create the illusion that there's some nectar coming in, without reducing the brood space too much.
I fill the feeders at around 7-8 pm with just enough that they're empty by the early hours, and so the initial excitement will have died down by daybreak.

'Tis working well. Better to spend a few bob on sugar I think than allow destruction and disruption. Of course a couple of acres of nectar-bearing plants would be a much better solution .

LJ

 

[beeno]

My lot all seemed to be doing it to each other (!) - so I put the whole apiary in 'lock-down' (all with topped-up feeders) for 24hrs to break the cycle, and am now feeding 1:1 to nucs so that they can gradually build-up stores, and 1:4 to the full-sized hives - just enough to create the illusion that there's some nectar coming in, without reducing the brood space too much.
I fill the feeders at around 7-8 pm with just enough that they're empty by the early hours, and so the initial excitement will have died down by daybreak.

'Tis working well. Better to spend a few bob on sugar I think than allow destruction and disruption. Of course a couple of acres of nectar-bearing plants would be a much better solution .

LJ

Oh, not the same as my experience, mine was one colony running low whilst all the others had plenty. Sounds a bit of a nightmare yours! It would have been easy to think they were feral bees rather than your own! If you had not done what you did you would probably have lost at least the nucs. Clever solution thanks for sharing.

 

[beeno]

Hi Roola,
One to go as it started to rain! I do have nectar coming in, but bearing in mind your experience I will not take any more honey this week. Pollen, the swarm is on the orange pollen which I believe is from the Hawksbeard family, but also I have heather, brambles and some light coloured yellow which looks like Ivy, but a bit early surely. Swarms in my experience brood a lot, so are inclined to need feeding more. Hope this helps.

 

[beeno]

Hi all,
Can confirm early Ivy flowering in my area!

 

[Roola]

Hi all,
Can confirm early Ivy flowering in my area!

thats crazy...

 

[Tremyfro]

My girls are still bringing in balsam. Lots of flowers around here and in Hensol woods nearby.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Not here, thank heavens. I've still got supers on.