First Winter - Poly Hive - Feeding - Moisture

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I would remind you all that OMF floors were "invented" to improve wintering long before varroa arrived here.

Probably around the end of the Boer War

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=689651&postcount=2101

 

[XYZ]

This kind of continues with the theme of the thread...

My Maisies poly nuc still has some syrup in. I had a look in last night. My infrared thermometer clocked 2 degrees for the syrup
I saw no live bees taking any down. I peered through the middle of the feeder window and the bees are clumped together, presumably keeping warm.

Q - is the syrup being left there causing harm? Should I remove it? How?

 

[SWEET]

I'm using a couple of BS Poly Nucs this winter with the removable plug, be interesting to see how these pan out.

After much reading its the reason I've purchased them.

 

[Swarm]

This kind of continues with the theme of the thread...

My Maisies poly nuc still has some syrup in. I had a look in last night. My infrared thermometer clocked 2 degrees for the syrup
I saw no live bees taking any down. I peered through the middle of the feeder window and the bees are clumped together, presumably keeping warm.

Q - is the syrup being left there causing harm? Should I remove it? How?

I've had invert left in the feeder and just put extra insulation above it. The bees took the rest of their feed.
The construction of the feeder (big lump of poly insulation) means the syrup or fondant is effectively isolated, it's colder up there so they ignore it. Extra insulation over the feeder keeps it warmer.

 

[Poly Hive]

Early 80's JBS. 1980 that is.

PH

 

[XYZ]

I've had invert left in the feeder and just put extra insulation above it. The bees took the rest of their feed.
The construction of the feeder (big lump of poly insulation) means the syrup or fondant is effectively isolated, it's colder up there so they ignore it. Extra insulation over the feeder keeps it warmer.

Cheers Steve. I have another poly nuc in the garage, I can stick some insulation in that and slot it on top. Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Early 80's JBS. 1980 that is.

PH

There's an example of an open mesh floor in Drumore Castle Ireland, from the first decade of the last century so no, not early eighties - whatever you may want to believe

 

[Poly Hive]

I am sure there is but the over wintering scientific trials were done in the 80's and late 70's at Craibstone and written up in the ABJ.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

May be - but it doesn't change the fact that the claim that OMF was 'invented' by Mobus is a rather erroneous one - same as the attribution of the phrase 'bees do nothing invariably' to him

 

[Poly Hive]

He used the phrase frequently in his lectures, and I can attest to that personally.

Invented is probably the wrong word but he did the experimentation on wintering and again I can attest to that as there were floors with various amounts of mesh to be seen in the store rooms. They began with a couple of 2" holes then became a 2" strip at the back of the floors then on and on ever larger.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

He used the phrase frequently in his lectures, and I can attest to that personally.

He may have - but he was quoting ROB Manley who used the phrase in his 1948 book 'Beekeeping In Britain' and Manley quite honestly attributed it to a lady who frequently contributed articles in various beekeeping magazines in the early 1920's (unfortunately he never mentioned her name)

 

[Poly Hive]

That may well be but as I say he used it a lot.

I had the pleasure of attending two of his "Expert" weekends where he gave an overreaching set of talks to prepare candidates for the SBA Expert exam.

He started on the Friday at 7pm and taled through to 10pm.

Saturday was 9am to 10pm, Sunday the same and then a further lecture on the Monday morning. The exam was sat in the afternoon of that Monday.

I find talking for two hours is more than enough for me. It was just amazing. A true tour de force.

PH