Queen stopped laying

[Hivetool2021]

Hi all

Hope your bees are ok. Have any one noticed their queens have stopped laying at the moment given the lack of nectar about,

 

[Roger.Wilco]

Hi all

Hope your bees are ok. Have any one noticed their queens have stopped laying at the moment given the lack of nectar about,

Short answer yes... my NUC that almost starved - the thing I noticed first was no eggs...

 

[Garry R]

If you feed starving colonies in an apiary how much danger is there of robbing as they will all be on the look out for easy pickings? In which case can feeding do more harm than good?

 

[Erichalfbee]

If you feed starving colonies in an apiary how much danger is there of robbing as they will all be on the look out for easy pickings? In which case can feeding do more harm than good?

Feed in the evening when there are no bees out

Hi all

Hope your bees are ok. Have any one noticed their queens have stopped laying at the moment given the lack of nectar about,

Not just nectar. Check the pollen stores. I've just topped up a few of mine with frames of honey and pollen

 

[emoclewbee]

The Queens in my nucs went off lay last week. The bramble flow has started and laying has returned.

 

[Antipodes]

If you feed starving colonies in an apiary how much danger is there of robbing as they will all be on the look out for easy pickings? In which case can feeding do more harm than good?

I asked about robbing over there at the moment, and apparently there isn't any, so presumably there must be nectar about. I can't recall anyone mentioning robbing issues there currently.

 

[jarmo henttu]

If you feed starving colonies in an apiary how much danger is there of robbing as they will all be on the look out for easy pickings? In which case can feeding do more harm than good?

When you start feeding in the evening, robbers will not harm the colony.

The colony must be so stong that it occupyes all combs. Final robbers will be killed inside on combs.

 

[madasafish]

I feed any time. But using Maisie/BS nucs with built in feeders so no spillage.
No robbing.

 

[Macbear]

Short answer yes... my NUC that almost starved - the thing I noticed first was no eggs...

Same with my nuc. I wondered if it was simply the Q being erratic, but gave them a summer-strength feed. Will simply check how much of it has been taken this week but otherwise leave them undisturbed for a while.

 

[user 819]

Dead bees don't bring in forage so if needed then feed , don't wet feed unless they are on their last feet in which caes one should soak spray them syrup, reduce any robbing by slapping on fondant , no smell no drips/spillage .
One reason to save and keep excess OSR or Ivy stores for such purposes, I have a a swarm with clipped Q from one of mine to feed . They will get two whole ivy frames.

 

[jarmo henttu]

Hi all

Hope your bees are ok. Have any one noticed their queens have stopped laying at the moment given the lack of nectar about,

My record to feed hives is when it was end of June when I was moving hive to turnip rape fields. All hives were very empty.

 

[North End Bees]

I feed any time. But using Maisie/BS nucs with built in feeders so no spillage.
No robbing.

They don't rob just because of spillage. If you feed in middle of the day the bees get all excited and come out and inadvertently advertise the fact they have incoming stores.

 

[madasafish]

They don't rob just because of spillage. If you feed in middle of the day the bees get all excited and come out and inadvertently advertise the fact they have incoming stores.

Not when it's 12C or 14C