First inspection of the year.

[ericbeaumont]

WHY do they go for Ivy when it’s so useless to them

As usual, nature has designed an ideal balance of seasonal supply and demand.

It's a brilliant combination of a nectar high in sugar and low in moisture - about 24% - available at a time of year when a smaller nest would not have the workforce nor warmth to reduce moisture to below 18 or so.

In his book Beekeeping, A Seasonal Guide Ron Brown wrote well about ivy: nectar so dense as this needs very little evaporation, as it was only two or three per cent less dense than than ripe honey to begin with. How thoughtful of the ivy, blossoming so late as it does in October and November, to provide nectar with such a high sugar content that it does not need dry evenings and warm nights for evaporation by thousands of bees to ripen it!

The natural world is a giant jigsaw; every piece has a purpose, even though it's beyond our ken.

 

[pargyle]

That's useful, thanks. I started weighing the hives a few months ago to try to keep track of consumption. I use a digital baggage scale and just weigh one side since I assumed that I'm less interested in the actual weight than in the trends. Each of the hives (WBC) are currently at about 24kg (one side lifted half an inch). Two of them had only fondant on over all the winter. The third had a nearly-full super of Apivar-tainted honey which I left on as stores and then topped up with a smallish block of fondant a few weeks ago when I realised that that colony was lighter than the other two. So they are all at more or less the same weight now.

Using your finger guide I'd say that they are all 'three fingers heavy'. So you'd advise that I take off the remaining fondant and then just monitor? I'm in Southern England and, whilst today is horrible, there's been quite a lot of pollen going into all three hives over the last week or so.

I'd take it off ... It sounds to me like they are pretty near ideal for this time of the year without adding any more stores. There are already some early trees in blossom (I'm in South Hampshire so very similar climate to you) and they will be providing nectar as well as pollen in a week or few - although its been a miserable day today it was not that cold and mine were flying until the rain started.

What you are looking for is a balance ... keep weighing them and as long as they don't go down dramatically there's not a lot to worry about. As the queen starts to lay they will start to consume more stores and there is often a danger point as they use the last of the winter stores but there's not enough bees and forage to keep pace with the food required for brooding. If you monitor you will know if that point is reached and you can react if needs be. Before long your inspection regime will tell you visually whether they have enough stores for the ensuing weeks and what sort of brood pattern there is in your colony.

 

[Beedogg]

OK, I took off the three blocks of fondant today. Each of the three hives are now at 2-3 on your finger-scale, so I'd say that they're OK for a while but I'll keep monitoring.

Interestingly, one of the colonies had hollowed out the block and consumed, I'd say, about half of it (6kg) since it went on in November but the other had made little impact. The colony that had eaten most was the newest one that I made from a split mid-year, so I imagine that the deduction is that the more established colony needed to take in less stores than the newer on. No real surprise there, I suppose. But it does suggest that the fuller colony wasn't just storing for storings sake.

 

[pargyle]

OK, I took off the three blocks of fondant today. Each of the three hives are now at 2-3 on your finger-scale, so I'd say that they're OK for a while but I'll keep monitoring.

Interestingly, one of the colonies had hollowed out the block and consumed, I'd say, about half of it (6kg) since it went on in November but the other had made little impact. The colony that had eaten most was the newest one that I made from a split mid-year, so I imagine that the deduction is that the more established colony needed to take in less stores than the newer on. No real surprise there, I suppose. But it does suggest that the fuller colony wasn't just storing for storings sake.

Or they didn't have enough room to store it ? Or the conditions in the hive were not conducive to them storing it ... or perhaps they just prefer the honey or syrup they stored in the autumn ?

 

[Hiveanidea]

???

 

[Murox]

Ok, ok - all will be revealed next week when Spring proper arrives. At least there’s pollen going in during brief spells of glimmer. Raining now and Wind Warning notification just arrived.

You may say that though I doubt my local topography and weather patterns support the notion but I remain optimistic.

You might be right after all, forecast for my area looks to be mostly promising for next week - I hope it holds up.

 

[OH honey]

Having read through this thread, I have
removed remaining fondant and very briefly checked for brood and stores. Must have been 7 frames of stores and 2-3 frames of brood in each hive. I'm a bit worried about them being honey bound so I have put supers on top in the hope that during this sunny spell the bees will make space for brood. The worry is that maybe overnight temps are a bit chilly still and may set the colonies back a bit. But does that even matter seeing as blossom is out?Any thoughts?

 

[enrico]

Having read through this thread, I have
removed remaining fondant and very briefly checked for brood and stores. Must have been 7 frames of stores and 2-3 frames of brood in each hive. I'm a bit worried about them being honey bound so I have put supers on top in the hope that during this sunny spell the bees will make space for brood. The worry is that maybe overnight temps are a bit chilly still and may set the colonies back a bit. But does that even matter seeing as blossom is out?Any thoughts?

I would have removed a couple of frames of stores and replaced with empty frames. That is a big space to heat if the weather goes **** up. Alternatively put the super under the brood

 

[Murox]

Night time temps are close to zero where I am just now, as enrico suggests you have given a few bees a lot of work.

 

[OH honey]

This was always the worry. I only have foundation, no drawn comb, so bees might still struggle. On the upside, hives are Abelo poly, so well insulated. Next 7 day forecast is highs 15-18, lows 4-5 so here's hoping. I will have to set aside some frames of drawn comb for next spring.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

They won't be drawing any comb at the moment.

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Crossover is when the spring bee numbers emerging exceed the winter bees dying.

A bit like the spring equinox then (3.33pm today) in bee life cycle terms! Is 'crossover' also used in the opposite sense, like the autumn equinox?

 

[OH honey]

They won't be drawing any comb at the moment.

Indeed they won't. I'll have to filch some spares off them as the season progresses.

 

[SWHives]

Checked the both hives on Sat. One has 4 the other 3 frames of brood in all stages and pollen around the brood. Also capped stores on 3 frames. Both Queens present. Hives seem healthy.

 

[Martimart]

The weather set fine all week, it's still just my opinion that its still too cold at night time, towards the end of the week its looking like 6 / 7 degrees at night. Maybe next week.

 

[Boston Bees]

The weather set fine all week, it's still just my opinion that its still too cold at night time, towards the end of the week its looking like 6 / 7 degrees at night. Maybe next week.

Yep. I might inspect one colony this week - the one which I am most paranoid about whether it has enough space. But I certainly wouldn't be adding boxes above a brood nest at this time. Next week looks like max 11C and the odd frost at night ....