Getting bees to take thymolated feed

[TryingToLetThemBee]

1:1 mix with thymol works wonders for a colony struggling in the spring. Never had a problem with bees not taking it.

I do, hence the thread. And I have read that nosemic colonies often will not "take their medicine". I got one turned around this spring by regular thymolated soakings. I am wondering whether to make that standard.

 

[Finman]

.
That Hivemaker's suggestion to use thymol against nosema. IT put me think....

Long time ago I used Fumidil B. Recipe told that treated hives bring 20% more honey. They really did so. When I looked my treated bee yard in spring, the difference was that hives were even size compared to untreated yard along years. Untreated yard has various size of hives. Some took quite much time to become ready to forage.

Slept over night I am going to give nosema thymols to hives at the end of August.

Thanks Hivemaker for discussion

 

[Eyeman]

1:1 mix with thymol works wonders for a colony struggling in the spring.

I've had problems with that dilution in autumn when other sources of nectar are still around. They just prefer to go out and get the Balsam or ivy.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've had problems with that dilution in autumn when other sources of nectar are still around. They just prefer to go out and get the Balsam or ivy.

well they would

 

[Brigsy]

I am planing to use this in a 2/1 feed for Autumn feeding soon. I have seen the recipe that comes out at 5ml for gallon. What is the amount for each litre please? Does the strength of the syrup matter?

Presumably if 1 gallon is 4.5 litres around 1ml per litre? Maths is not my forte.

 

[Tom Bick]

I have always struggled with this. I have tried trails of honey, and reducing strength. Any other tips? I am probably at Manley 2 or 3. Too high?

Your problem could be if you are following the Manley recipe as it doesn't fully mix into the syrup and the thymol will float to the surface and concentrate there. If you follow hivemakers recipe with the lecithin granules then the mix stays fully emulsified.

 

[Cussword]

I am planing to use this in a 2/1 feed for Autumn feeding soon. I have seen the recipe that comes out at 5ml for gallon. What is the amount for each litre please? Does the strength of the syrup matter?

Presumably if 1 gallon is 4.5 litres around 1ml per litre? Maths is not my forte.

1ml per litre will be fine. Autumn feeding usually involves 2 : 1 mix of sugar to water.

Hivemaker has tested this to a maximum of 10ml per gallon with no harm to the bees.

.

 

[REDWOOD]

I don't use anything as a norm, if they need it they get it

 

[Brigsy]

Thank you. I meant does the amount to add vary from 1/1 to 2/1 syrup. But I see there can be some variance. Thanks.

 

[Cussword]

Normally 1:1 in Spring 2:1 in Autumn. It's thicker in Autumn so that it's easier for the bees to get rid of the water.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

6 litres in a day of Hivemakers

 

[Brigsy]

You used six litres in one day?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You used six litres in one day?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

when winter feeding a colony you should hope the colony takes down at least a gallon (I like to see them store two - plus any ivy they will get in) of syrup. It needs to be available in a good quantity and they will take it down fast. I think one of the main reasons for colonies not seeing the spring is that beeks think that one load of syrup in a piddly little 4 litre rapid feeder is sufficient to see them through.
Get a decent size feeder (the one gallon big T's 'English' feeder or the maisie's equivalent jumbo) is a good compromise and easy to handle. Either that or get a milller/ashforth feeder.

 

[madasafish]

Any sensible beekeeper who wants to approach winter preparation on a scientific bases - as opposed to hope - needs to use a digital luggage scales, establish a datum for an empty whatever they are weighing.. and then ensure a full size hive has 20KG of stores.

So in my case I weigh half (ie one end) of floor , plus broodbox plus crownboard -( I remove the hive cover to weigh) - when empty . ( standard weights ok as the odd .0.5KG makes little difference.)

Then weigh the full gubbins and ensure it has at least 20kG of stores.

If not, feed.

It's not rocket science..nor do you need a degree to do it..And you can safely ignore the opinions (as opposed to facts) of everyone else. Of course, if you cannot weigh correctly then you are a numpty and will lose your bees - but numpties do that anyway.

Edit : and keep records.( Numpties don't keep records)

 

[Brigsy]

Thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Any sensible beekeeper who wants to approach winter preparation on a scientific bases - as opposed to hope - needs to use a digital luggage scales, establish a datum for an empty whatever they are weighing.. and then ensure a full size hive has 20KG of stores.

So in my case I weigh half (ie one end) of floor , plus broodbox plus crownboard -( I remove the hive cover to weigh) - when empty . ( standard weights ok as the odd .0.5KG makes little difference.)

Then weigh the full gubbins and ensure it has at least 20kG of stores.

If not, feed.

It's not rocket science..nor do you need a degree to do it..And you can safely ignore the opinions (as opposed to facts) of everyone else. Of course, if you cannot weigh correctly then you are a numpty and will lose your bees - but numpties do that anyway.

Edit : and keep records.( Numpties don't keep records)

I agree (to a point) with your firmly held opinion.
I prefer to chuck out all the bees, weigh the remaining kit then put them all back in again - get a slightly more accurate reading

 

[Cussword]

I agree (to a point) with your firmly held opinion.
I prefer to chuck out all the bees, weigh the remaining kit then put them all back in again - get a slightly more accurate reading

Doesn't that upset the bees?

I'll get my coat.

 

[madasafish]

Doesn't that upset the bees?

I'll get my coat.

Not the Welsh ones

 

[Tremyfro]

In the spring this year I had a colony which was lagging behind the others. I tested for nosema..positive...so took the advice from here to spray them at 4 day intervals with thymolated 1:1 syrup. Even after the first spraying they were clearly recovering. That colony grew really well during the rest of the spring and summer...I can't quote honey production yet as I have not removed any so far. I was really pleased about the turnaround for this colony. So I have decided to spray again in the autumn as well as feed with thymolated syrup....to ensure they all get a good dose.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

feeding is sufficient at this time of year as they'll be packing it in for the winter - spraying in the spring works because, as TTLTB has found out, they're not always interested in taking down syrup as there's plenty of forage out there so they've got no choice when they're plastered in it..