Hi and advice needed

[matty]

Hi
First post have been lurking for a sometime and the advice from the site has helped me out several times.

I picked up a swam last june after several years of deciding
should we or should we not then a swarm landed in the garden and made the decision for us.

Today I carried out the first inspection of the year after wintering on a brood and a half they have survived and there are eggs and sealed brood but they are down to 6 super frames of honey and bring in loads of pollen.

Should i feed some sugar at 1:2 now?

also
The brood box is falling apart and needs replacing this year i have a 12X14 ready to go and have read about Bailey changes and shock swarms and am a bit confused.
Cant i just put it on top of the brood box and let them move up on there own and when they have drawn the frams out put a QE between.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi


Cant i just put it on top of the brood box and let them move up on there own and when they have drawn the frams out put a QE between.

That's what I am going to do. I just need to judge when they are strong enough and will feed some syrup to help them draw the new foundation.
I haven't looked in yet even though there have been a few warm days and I'm itching to see how they have pulled through the winter. There is still some fondant on and they are piling the pollen in and I thought best to let them enjoy the warm weather. I'm sure a couple of weeks won't make any difference and anyway, what could I do for them.

 

[Poly Hive]

Matty?

Where in the UK are you and can all posters please put their actual location as it is CRITICAL.

No you do not want to feed heavy syrup, the feed strength should be 1:1

PH

 

[Midland Beek]

Six super frames of food is not a huge amount, but your bees are not goint to starve. Feed would help them along, and I do not think it matters too much whether it is 1:1 or the stronger stuff. But if you do feed, don't give them a huge amount so that your hive gets filled up.

If I were you, at a later date and when there is a good amount of income and your colony is strong (May?), I would be inclined to stick the 14x12 of foundation on the brood and a half. Feeding would help at this point to get the box of foundation drawn. Confine the queen to the new brood box and you should be able to sort things out.

If you want to use your super as a super at a later date, you do not really want it full of syrup - I am not sure if it contains just honey at the moment.

 

[Poly Hive]

The food strength actually does matter at this time of year.

the aim is to stimulate to brood not stimulate to store.

the difference is what?

Well lets say the colony (for expamle) is on a single brood box and has used 60% of it's stores and so potentially the queen has that amount to lay up which is a good thing...

Along comes the beekeeper and feeds heavy autumn syrup and the bees use it to make stores, filling up some combs. The queen is "honey bound" and cannot lay up, the old bees are dying off, and there are fewer than needed replacements. What happens? the colony dies off.

So yes it is important what feed is used.

I would suggest feeding 1:1 and no more than a pint a week. Enough to give them an internal water source for bad weather times, and not strong enough or too much in quantity for them to clog the laying space.

I hope this clarifies things.

PH

 

[matty]

Thanks for the advice i think i will give them a week and keep a eye on the weather then give them some 1:1

Have updated my info

 

[Poly Hive]

Many thanks Matty.

PH