Is my hive too light?

[emilyp]

Hi, I'm a new beekeper and started this year with a small nuc (less than 2 frames) that I introduced into a National brood box in early September. following advice I gradually fed them 34lbs of syrup and by November they had occupied 10 frames - and the broodbox weighed 68lbs on Nov 25th.

We weighed them today and the weight of the broodbox is down to 36lbs!

Is this OK, or is there anything I can do, as it seems very light?!?!?

Em

 

[grizzly]

Hi Em
If i am ever unsure about the stores within my hives, i place a block of fondant on the crown board, above the cluster, if they are hungry they will take it down.

 

[northernsoul]

Have a look at the stores, are any of them capped or have all the capings gone. If none of them are capped then put some fondant on the top, having said that, put fondant in anyway, it'll stop you worrying

 

[VEG]

If it weighs 36lbs you should be fine

 

[oliver90owner]

What weighs 36lb?

Floor, brood crownboard, insulation, roof? Sounds pretty light to me, if all these, especially if made in plywood. They have used 14 1/2kgs stores already? That is assuming weight loss is all stores, of course.

Regards, RAB

 

[Finman]

Is this OK, or is there anything I can do, as it seems very light?!?!?

Em

No one knows better than you.

Open the inner cover and look if you see capped food in frames.
If you see, it is OK

 

[MJBee]

As Finman says have a look BUT don't take the crown board fully off. Use your hive tool to release the seal then slide it over to reveal 1 frame, check for sealed stores, if empty slide the crown board over a bit more and check the 2nd frame, if that is empty too FEED.

What you are trying to achieve is a check on stores level without letting all the heat out. I'm on commercials which are bigger than your Nationals but mine are all more than 30kg (66lbs) I feel that yours is a bit light.

Let us know what you find. Cheers Mike

 

[emilyp]

Thank you for all your suggestions and help.

It's occurred to me that the hive's on a purpose built heavy floor which I've calculated to weigh about 10lbs, I've also weighed an empty brood box with 10 frames which is about another 10lbs, so the wax, bees and stores are down to 16lbs!

As suggested, I've bought 2lbs of Sainsburys Icing sugar which I'll make into candy tomorrow and 'mould ' over the feeder hole in the cover board.

Em

 

[plumber]

emilyp

have a look in the beekeeping section there is a detailed sticky
telling how to make fondent/candy

 

[emilyp]

thanks plumber. will do

em

 

[MJBee]

Don't use icing sugar, use Frisbee's recipe. I cannot remember what it is but icing sugar is not suitable for fondant. Mike

 

[george]

Or even quicker and easier , go down to your local bakers and buy 12 kgs for a tenner .
G

 

[BKF Admin]

Hi George,welcome to the forum.
Yes you are right,ask for a box of "Bakers fondant" and promise the baker a jar of raw English honey in 6 months..

Most Bakers pay between £7.50 and £13.00 a box.

 

[tonybloke]

Hiya to you George!!

 

[emilyp]

Thanks for all your replies but too late as I've already put a small container of icing sugar based candy (about one and a half lbs) over the feed hole on the cover board, which is glazed (with a 1" layer of horse hair insulation blanket on top)

I lifted the roof at 7pm tonight to have a look - there's a 3" radius circle of very active bees on top of the frames around the feed hole, so I presume they're using it.

After that's finished I'll use the 4lbs worth of candy I made following your recipe (and emailed Bako at their Wimbledon branch to see if I can collect a batch of Fondant)

thanks again for your help

 

[MJBee]

Well done it looks as if you caught the problem in time

Keep offering them food as long as they take it and keep the insulation in place - only another 6 - 8 weeks before the weather "should" start to improve.

The presence of food may stimulate the queen into lay which will produce a strong colony when spring eventually arrives.
Mike

 

[george]

Thanks for the welcome guys , nice to be here .
G

 

[Somerford]

Checked on 2 hives today that had had fondant put on them when I did the Oxalic (above crown boards) - the stronger hive had taken 2/3rds of it (approx 500g) and the other about 1/2 (350g)

Bees were visible just 'humming' below each crown board and the stronger hive was flying too in 7 degrees C

regards

S

 

[emilyp]

We bought a 12.5 kilo box of fondant this afternoon from BAKO in South Wimbledon (5 mins from the Northern Line tube) -- such a friendly bunch and they were happy to do this small trade for a beekeeper. It cost £12 so is cheaper than buying the raw ingredients for a homemade recipe.