March feeding

[Mand & Dave]

Hi all. Some of our hives are very light when hefting. We have put fondant on today, but wondering how often you would say to put more fondant. We have a storm coming in tonight, and the bad weather is here for another 6 days. Im feeling like they may need more fondant before the weather has eased. So any similar stories or advice is very welcome indeed.
Thank you in advance

 

[Murox]

How much fondant have you put into each hive??

 

[jeff33]

As Murox really + how strong is the hive, are they usually frugal with their stores, etc.... There is no 1 size fits all in beekeeping. Easy enough to have a quick 20 sec look in 3-4 days time between showers.

 

[ericbeaumont]

how often you would say to put more fondant

I thought the same today when delivering supers to an apiary, so lifted the lid on a middling colony (six frames of bees?) and saw they'd only taken about 20% of the 1kg put on ten days ago. Mind you, they're all over it now.

As Jeff said, lift the lid and have a look; if you've put on a meaty slab I wouldn't worry, but I know that's easier said.

Don't let rain put you off beekeeping; buy a clear* golfing umbrella if you want to stay dry, but bees won't be bothered that much - it's wind that winds them up.

* Won't reduce light when looking for the queen.

 

[Ian123]

What ever the amount of fondant just make sure it’s in contact with the bees otherwise it may as well be in the hive next door. Saying that it is getting a little warmer but best to be safe. Also if they are very! Light warm syrup or transfer some frames. Ian

 

[oliver90owner]

Are they brooding? Makes a big difference

 

[hemo]

Some beeks do really stupid things, may be not stupid but just sheer incompetence. Certainly don't follow the following example or as Ian has said the fondant might as well be on another colony.

A lady beek on last nights LA zoom meeting mentions she's lost hive # 5 of 7 now and has incredibly maybe has started the process of #6 going the same way. She say's need to make up for lost colonies so need to increase by making splits from her remaining at the moment strongest colony.
Without no reason except that she has seen about a dozen bees foraging and pollen seen, she thinks without knowing at all that is occurring in the hive to go and double brood it on top and not only that she has plonked fondant straight on top of the new BB. With the still cold days and esp nights trying to explain that her thinking has no logic or reason to it simply does not sink in.

 

[hemo]

Then to compound it a member ( the pied piper who I swear is a member of the matchstick brigade) who most look up too and hang on their every word chirps in with this little gem which I found even more incredulous.
To save wasting heat pop in a CB and leave the feed hole open, you just can't make some of this up but it's all true. Some beeks just can't stop fiddling about with their bees during winter.
I'm all for hefting and checking stores but at the mo that is all.

 

[hemo]

I did feel a bit sorry for her after #1 & #2 were lost and was going to offer to raise a nuc from my nice ladies, however after this last revelation no way am I going to mention it to her, let alone her have and treat them with the same contempt.

 

[Mand & Dave]

How much fondant have you put into each hive??

Hi . We put 1.2 kg in each

 

[Mand & Dave]

I thought the same today when delivering supers to an apiary, so lifted the lid on a middling colony (six frames of bees?) and saw they'd only taken about 20% of the 1kg put on ten days ago. Mind you, they're all over it now.

As Jeff said, lift the lid and have a look; if you've put on a meaty slab I wouldn't worry, but I know that's easier said.

Don't let rain put you off beekeeping; buy a clear* golfing umbrella if you want to stay dry, but bees won't be bothered that much - it's wind that winds them up.

* Won't reduce light when looking for the queen.

Very helpful . Thank you. I will look into a clear brolly, sounds like a useful item for furtive bee endeavours. Thanks again

 

[Mand & Dave]

What ever the amount of fondant just make sure it’s in contact with the bees otherwise it may as well be in the hive next door. Saying that it is getting a little warmer but best to be safe. Also if they are very! Light warm syrup or transfer some frames. Ian

Very helpful tip indeed . Thank you so much. This knowledge is well received

 

[Mand & Dave]

Are they brooding? Makes a big difference

Haven't looked yet, although we were having a number of hives with the young doing their 1st tester flights, so we are confident of some that are

 

[Erichalfbee]

Haven't looked yet, although we were having a number of hives with the young doing their 1st tester flights, so we are confident of some that are

You don’t have to look. Is the crownboard warm? If it is they probably are.

 

[jeff33]

or you will see lots of brown bits of capping on the mite tray which indicates if there is brood and the size of the cluster.
That's one I took last year towards the end of April. You can see the different seams of bees, honey cappings on the outside frames, brood capping in the middle and lots of pollen. Without opening you can see that 9 frames were used with a brood nest over 6-7 frames.

 

[oliver90owner]

As well as the above, do not forget that (at this time of the year) brooding colonies will need a copious supply of water to enable honey to be fed to larvae.

Simple observation is the first thing to do this eatly in the season - when inspections are just plain folly in the large proportion of cases. KISS principal in operation.

 

[Hachi]

I did feel a bit sorry for her after #1 & #2 were lost and was going to offer to raise a nuc from my nice ladies, however after this last revelation no way am I going to mention it to her, let alone her have and treat them with the same contempt.

You'll be sending your bee's to an almost certain death if you do

 

[hemo]

You'll be sending your bee's to an almost certain death if you do

I have already decided I won't be offering.

 

[Finman]

You may feed syrup too to hives.
You may arrange enough stores to hives.

5 kg sugar as syrup fills 2 frames. Give 60% syrup. If hives have started brooding, 5 kg is not too much to one hive. Then give more later when the stores are low.