Ivy Nectar

[Norton Caff]

What is the forum's opinion of ivy nectar? My mentor says that now the local ivy is beginning to flower I should feed to prevent/reduce the intake of ivy nectar which may crystalize. and therefore be unavailable to the bees. I am feeding anyway as the hives are a little light so the question is out of interest.

 

[oliver90owner]

Not autumn fed for at least five years; stores have not been all ivy but quite a lot of solid honey left in spring. Bees collect it and they use it. I do give them a water supply in spring when they need to use it quickly (for brooding), but no problem whatsoever, otherwise.

 

[mbc]

God given free forage for the bees, both nectar and pollen in abundance to set your bees right for the winter.
IMO only share holders of tate and lyle and silver spoon need worry if the ivy flow is a good one.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Lots of ivy last year when the bees lived in Cumbria.
The hives reeked of it in the evenings.
No problems with the bees using it.

 

[Poly Hive]

Looks like another bee myth.

PH

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Nothing wrong with Ivy nectar or pollen, just would not extract it for sale, great for bees though. The timing irs good also, always viewed it as an autumn bonus for the bees. After the summer we have just had they need all the nectar AND pollen they can get. This year has been dire and the implication(Queens especially) will effect us for a while yet

 

[herefordshirehoney]

Not autumn fed for at least five years; stores have not been all ivy but quite a lot of solid honey left in spring. Bees collect it and they use it. I do give them a water supply in spring when they need to use it quickly (for brooding), but no problem whatsoever, otherwise.

I think most of my stores are mainly sugar syrup with some summer and probably some ivy by now. When do you introduce water to the hive and how? (Sorry better ask now than forget later!). They certain don't need water now flooding everywhere round here at moment!

 

[oliver90owner]

Chris,

The bees need water for brooding if nectar is not available in sufficient quantity. That is where the practice of feeding 1:1 as an early spring feed to stimulate early brooding has come from. I have, in recent years, supplied them with less and less concentrated sugar solution, until it is practically only water; they still take it.

Think about it - if they are brooding heavily and there is a week of really freezing weather, all the external sources could be solid and mostly unavailable to the bees. I have started them with some sugar solution and continue with virtually water.

Dartingtons get an 'internal' entrance feeder and the rest get the entrance feeder from the outside. I have not yet experienced it so cold that the bees cannot get out for water since doing this but the time will come... I have never applied this to all my colonies - just the few that start brooding early (Dartingtons are superb for this).

RAB

 

[Norton Caff]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. There's a lot of ivy around here for when the weather clears up. Sifting the bee myths from truth is interesting, it makes me wonder where the original idea came from and whether there was a glimmer of truth in them.

 

[oliver90owner]

it makes me wonder where the original idea came from

Most likely 'my colony(ies) died over the winter. Must have been all that ivy honey as it was still there this spring'

Little or no account taken that they might have died for some other reason and that the stores, from whatever source, would have still been there in the spring.

An excuse rather than a reason. Sounded good to the uninitiated/inexperienced and was perpetuated in the belief that what they had been told was the truth?

 

[Chris Luck]

Just to add to the chorus - wonderful for both pollen and nectar.

Chris

 

[Ely]

I didn't feed my bees last Autumn and it doesn't look like I will this Autumn either. My bees winter almost exclusively on Ivy honey with no problems.

 

[Cazza]

My bees winter almost exclusively on Ivy honey with no problems.

Ditto, I have only ever fed 20lbs sugar per hive and often none at all.
Cazza

 

[drex]

That has been my usual scenario too. However this year hives very light and feeding like mad