New Beekeeper - Should feed be changed??

[keithgrimes]

Oh no......another post by Keith.....thread should be good for another twenty posts now...

 

[Hivemaker.]

........

 

[wannaBkeeper]

Oh no......another post by Keith.....thread should be good for another twenty posts now...

Ok lets see if we can get you upto 2400 posts by 3pm

 

[Rosti]

That's 5

This makes 6

14 to go

Of course it may have been confused with the little known inverted contact feeder, oh hang on that's just called a bucket!

 

[HighlandWozza]

Getting back on track, is the mould something to worry about? My feeders are a bit mouldy, should I be cleaning them? How often?

 

[Cazza]

Getting back on track, is the mould something to worry about? My feeders are a bit mouldy, should I be cleaning them? How often?

I don't think it's a huge worry but it's good practice to clean them when you begin to see a build up. i don't clean every time but once every couple of weeks.
Cazza
P.s Did any one else get totally lost in the contact/rapid feeder debacle? It reminded me of Monty Python. Keep up the first class comedy act guys.

 

[Rosti]

... is the mould something to worry about? My feeders are a bit mouldy, should I be cleaning them? How often?

Sorry Cazza, I know this is going to look like I am pulling a techie (it's a well mean't one though).

Mould in itself is not necessarily a problem but is indicative of airbourne contamination which can / likely will include yeasts. With a large surface area fermentation will not be apparent but will render the syrup unpalletable at best and in some instances metabolic bi-prods of the ferment could cause probs. The bees would not be touching it by then (think about wasp trap bait)! If like me you can only get to your apiary weekly then the first sign of mould tells you that the feed you expect to be taken during the next week probably won't be, hence dump and change.

Given re-seeding will occur, slow this as much as you can by always taking the feeder back to "visually clean" as well, using a warm water scrub.

 

[Cazza]

Sorry Cazza, I know this is going to look like I am pulling a techie (it's a well mean't one though).

Mould in itself is not necessarily a problem but is indicative of airbourne contamination which can / likely will include yeasts. With a large surface area fermentation will not be apparent but will render the syrup unpalletable at best and in some instances metabolic bi-prods of the ferment could cause probs. The bees would not be touching it by then (think about wasp trap bait)! If like me you can only get to your apiary weekly then the first sign of mould tells you that the feed you expect to be taken during the next week probably won't be, hence dump and change.

Given re-seeding will occur, slow this as much as you can by always taking the feeder back to "visually clean" as well, using a warm water scrub.

I bow to am infinitely superior knowledge base than my non existent one.
Cazza

 

[Black Comb]

It's easier if you have a few spare feeders.

When you top up any sign of mould take the old one off and take it home to wash.

 

[honey]

lol guys stop hijacking my thread

ok just to confirm that this is what i have - a rapid feeder:

http://www.cornwallhoney.co.uk/009d.htm

sorry i don't know how to add the image in my post!

so far no mould, but i will get myself a spare feeder so i can swap them over regularly for good hygiene.

so do you think the dead bees can contaminate the feed, or am i ok just fishing any dead ones out & changing feed/feeder regularly?

one more question - when i clean/change the feeder, what do i do with the bees inside it at the time?? should i just shake them off and they will just find their way back into the hive?

 

[Rosti]

so do you think the dead bees can contaminate the feed, or am i ok just fishing any dead ones out & changing feed/feeder regularly?

one more question - when i clean/change the feeder, what do i do with the bees inside it at the time?? should i just shake them off and they will just find their way back into the hive?

Honey, if the inner 'inverted pot' cover is properly fitted you should not have any bees in your syrup to drown. The bees should only have access to the central feeding area not the 'bulk' syrup itself. If re-filling do so slowly then any bees within the feeding area can move back up, again no dead bees.

If you have to remove when partially full or when bees still in the feeding area, firstly watch out where you dispose of the syrup, you dont want to promote robbing.
1. Sharp tap over feeding hole knocks off those on their way up
2. empty out remains of syrup away from hives
3. take off inner lid, tap it and the base on the front of the hive to dislodge stragglers on to the flight board.

You'll probably need something bigger for autumn feeding.