Overfeeding?

[Phill Jolliffe]

Hi,

We got our nuc of 5 frames 5 weeks ago. We have been feeding them non stop since then. The Brood box will have it's last frame drawn out by the end of the week if they carry on as they have so far.

Our question is can we overfeed? They seem to be guzzling all we give them right now. They have for several weeks now scarfed down approx 2 liters per week. The mix is 2:1/sugar:water. Some people said 1:1, other 2:1. We went 2:1, guess we liked spoiling them

Questions is probably a bit late as we plan to add a super next week and stop the feeding . Should we stop sooner? Do we risk them moving stores up to the super made from the syrup and contaminating what we hope to be good honey in the supers? Or can we keep feeding them for first few days of having the supers on?

Cheers

Phill

 

[Onge]

Yes you have over fed.

This time of the year there is loads of nectar about. I'm surprised the poor queen has anywhere to lay.

Only feed in the autumn if they need it. (unless there starving of course).

 

[keithgrimes]

I made the same mistake and fed (but not for anywhere near as long as you!) The bees swarmed and I was told fairly categorically that it was because there was so much sugar syrup in the cells the queen had no laying space. I think you've been lucky they haven't swarmed. Any queen cells when you inspected last? Definitely stop feeding as there should be nectar in your area for sure.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi,

We got our nuc of 5 frames 5 weeks ago. We have been feeding them non stop since then. The Brood box will have it's last frame drawn out by the end of the week if they carry on as they have so far.

Our question is can we overfeed? They seem to be guzzling all we give them right now. They have for several weeks now scarfed down approx 2 liters per week. The mix is 2:1/sugar:water. Some people said 1:1, other 2:1. We went 2:1, guess we liked spoiling them

Questions is probably a bit late as we plan to add a super next week and stop the feeding . Should we stop sooner? Do we risk them moving stores up to the super made from the syrup and contaminating what we hope to be good honey in the supers? Or can we keep feeding them for first few days of having the supers on?

Cheers

Phill

if i said i never feed a Nuc, i would be lying, but i just feed June Nucs for a week at 2ltrs of spring feed ...1:1. i only used2:1 in Autumn. i then let them forage perhaps in inclemant weather of more than a few days giving extra feed

will they move the syrup up/....YES as they biuld more brood nest

if you feed too much, you get honey block...honey in all the brood, the queen has no where to lay...no room + lots of Food=QC=Swarm, you have been lucky, they must be good wax biulders

 

[Phill Jolliffe]

Thanks for the feed back. We have seen only small empty play cups a few times in the last weeks and always broken them down to be sure.

Last inspection, (yesterday), they had final 2 frames added. Both had fresh foundation to be drawn. So I hope this gives them space to survive our overfeeding. But now that are people mentioning it I remember thinking some of the brood frames had stores uncapped toward the center this last inspection. Something I hadn't seen before. I guess this is a symptom of the honey block others have mentioned. Time to put them on a diet at let them really on their forage weather allowing

Phill

 

[MuswellMetro]

Thanks for the feed back. We have seen only small empty play cups a few times in the last weeks and always broken them down to be sure.

Last inspection, (yesterday), they had final 2 frames added. Both had fresh foundation to be drawn. So I hope this gives them space to survive our overfeeding. But now that are people mentioning it I remember thinking some of the brood frames had stores uncapped toward the center this last inspection. Something I hadn't seen before. I guess this is a symptom of the honey block others have mentioned. Time to put them on a diet at let them really on their forage weather allowing

Phill

if the weather is rainy for a few days, that will clear the honey block in the brood area, if yuo take the feed off , they will sort it out

My early nucs are fed 2lts of 50% toi1 first week, 8 ltrs of 1:1 over 4 weeks =9kg of sugar, you have manged to get them take 5x2ltrs of 2:1=20kg of sugar. but if they ok, so what, just keep and eye out for QC

The honey will taste ok, but trading standard may be a bit iffy if you sell it

 

[oliver90owner]

If for sale: pH will be about 6 instead of around 3.9? Very little pollen in it. Quite easy to detect. Analysis would confirm the sucrose content. Heft fine might well follow.

Regards, RAB