Lightweight hive not taking syrup - why?

[BernardBlack]

Removed fondant on Friday. Replaced with sugar syrup.

Hefted hive and it is a bit light, which is why I’m surprised they’re not touching the syrup.

Not opened up yet, but assuming they are light on stores, why wouldn’t they be taking the syrup?

Any thoughts?

PS. I have a pollen patty on too.

 

[thedozzer]

Removed fondant on Friday. Replaced with sugar syrup.

Hefted hive and it is a bit light, which is why I’m surprised they’re not touching the syrup.

Not opened up yet, but assuming they are light on stores, why wouldn’t they be taking the syrup?

have you tried dribbling a bit of the syrup down the feeder? sometimes they don't know its there as bees cannot smell sugar, we had a miller style feeder on for a week and they didn't touch it, dribbled a little bit down the entrance for the bees and let it just hit the frames and they were doing over 5lts a week.

 

[BernardBlack]

have you tried dribbling a bit of the syrup down the feeder? sometimes they don't know its there as bees cannot smell sugar, we had a miller style feeder on for a week and they didn't touch it, dribbled a little bit down the entrance for the bees and let it just hit the frames and they were doing over 5lts a week.

Yeah I did that. And again this evening.

The bees have been up around that head/dome thing of the rapid feeder, circling around it and doing everything but touch the syrup.

 

[thedozzer]

Maybe they have enough forage coming in? we had a 1kg of fondant on for over a month over the last cold spell and they didn't touch it, but they need empty cells for the queen to lay, so empty cells may not be such a bad thing?

PS i am only in my first full year so not talking with any authority, just ideas.

 

[masterBK]

Try using a contact feeder (bucket with small nail holes in the lid) if bees reluctant to leave the cluster to go into the cold space of a rapid or miller typefeeder.

 

[Poly Hive]

Too cold or too weak? Wrong feeder?

I have always used frame feeders which avoid the above. Apart from weakness of course.

PH

 

[BernardBlack]

Try using a contact feeder (bucket with small nail holes in the lid) if bees reluctant to leave the cluster to go into the cold space of a rapid or miller typefeeder.

Just as you say that... the fondant pack only had some left in the corners up until I removed it. They were having to climb up into the pack and out into the corners (further from the cluster), and there was lots of bees feeding on it.

But since I changed to syrup, they’re gathering up around the dome thing of the rapid feeder, but not taking any syrup.