feeding???

[georgia b]

i've got a hive of bees that have seemed rather low because of wasps, we've added a rapied feeder with ambrosia and dribbled some down the hole, now 3/4 days later they haven't touched it and at this rate we are going to losse them. so is there any way we can get them to feed up and hopefully get stronger for the winter
thank you a very sad georgia

 

[oliver90owner]

Without knowing a few more details, all I would say is if they were very weak (however weak they might be, so I am simply guessing) I would be considering uniting before winter.

They may be not feeding because the space is too big for the bees - guessing again.

They might be getting varroa treatment?

Tell us a little more.

RAB

 

[georgia b]

we've given them varroa treatment they've been plaged by wasps ... and are declining at a rapied rate, i might even have to put them in a nuc.
we are trying like hell to find the wasps nest(s) ... we've allready found and destroyed 7.

 

[tonybloke]

is the entrance reduced?

 

[Rosti]

If they are that weak, but you know there is a laying queen in there and they are low on stores and getting pasted by wasps (and combination is not an option for whatever reason - although with 4 hives it should be and you'll still carry a good number of colonies into winter if you do combine) then ....

one evening ensure there is feed on, close the entrance completely for 3 days and when you re-open it make sure it's only a couple of bee widths wide. If necessary combine with use of dummy boards so that what brood there is is kept warm. Re-evaluate in a week, if no improvement it's combine or perish I suspect.

 

[Midland Beek]

we are trying like hell to find the wasps nest(s) ... we've allready found and destroyed 7.

So, killed seven wasp nests ... and still think it's the wasps.

Any colony failing at this time in the season needs opening up to determine what has likely gone wrong with it.