Ivy- my dilemma

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Skyhook

Queen Bee
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As some of you may recall, I'm planning to feed with thymolated syrup. Inspected yesterday and they're filling the BB with honey- didn't go right through as they were a bit nadgy, but first 3 frames pretty well solid so assume similar on other side, plus small arches. I ASSUME this is ivy as I cant think of anything else. The ivy doesn't look open, but maybe it is at the tops of the trees. Incidentally didn't see eggs but with my eyes that means nothing; reasonable amount of capped brood and a small amount of larvae present.

Lots of people say that ivy is the work of the devil and it will all set like concrete before they can use it. I was hoping to pre-empt the ivy with feeding, but they're still on apiguard (just entering week 5 but still dropping dozens per day) so I haven't fed yet. If I feed now, HM will have nowhere to lay. Should I A) put a super on and scratch the stores, hope they'll move it up, B) Extract the full frames, or C) hope they know what they're doing? :banghead:
 
I have something similar, but with mustard and kale- full flow for 2 weeks now. Planning to extract when the flow stops, then feed...
Just when we thought it was safe to put the extractor away!
 
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I have no experience of ivy but have read (can't remember where i read it but if i find it ill let you no) that they had dissected dead bees and found ivy honey granulated inside killing them before they had even had a chance to store it. I'm sure that their will be beeks with more experience of ivy than me and had no problems would it depend on the variety of the plant it comes from.
 
Although mine managed quite happily last winter with ivy as virtually all of their stores, I am feeding now, in the hope of giving them something a bit more digestible this time round. If they had a problem with the ivy, it was in the Spring, when they were trying to feed the new brood - and they obviously needed a great deal of water to dilute the ivy.

But therre are others with more experience here who will provide more authoritative advice.
 
I've had no problems with Ivy honey in my hives so worry not. Ivy and bees have been in this country for plenty long time me thinks. If you get a rainy day or two, then the feed will be taken down and it will dilute the ivy.
 
I've never had any problems with ivy, I've always assumed it was the last natural feed of the year for them and a number of other species as well. Anyway this year is a whopper here for ivy, never seen such densely packed flowers in 15 years so we'll see what's what in the spring. Beautiful scent as well.

Chris
 
Chucked out a couple of frames last spring which were like bricks and untouched, I put it down to ivy since previous autumn inspections showed no probs. I am feeding ahead of the ivy to hopefully get them feeding off it rather than laying it down, but as others on here have said many times, the bees will do what the bees will do .....
 
I've never had a problem with Ivy and there is loads of it round here.

The brood is always packed with it.

Then in the spring its gone again. :chillpill:
 
I've never had a problem with Ivy and there is loads of it round here.

The brood is always packed with it.

Then in the spring its gone again. :chillpill:

:iagree:

There's a lovely flow on today, the bees are going nuts - great to see and listen to.
Cazza
 
:iagree:

There's a lovely flow on today, the bees are going nuts - great to see and listen to.
Cazza

Stop it. It persisting down here and has done since before dawn. Looks like it's in for the day.
 
Two days ago my bees were going mad on fallen plums, but I don't know if they will make stores from the juice.
 
Two days ago my bees were going mad on fallen plums, but I don't know if they will make stores from the juice.
Be a better idea if you collected the plums and made yourself something to drink at Christmas...
 
Be a better idea if you collected the plums and made yourself something to drink at Christmas...

I've already taken our share and left the rest for birds etc. We seem to have got rid of the wasps that usually take them. I didnt know bees went for fruit.
 

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