Rapid feeder

[Mickyboy]

Just received my first 2 nucs , put on a rapid feeder two days ago. But the bees havnt feed from it yet . Is this because they havnt found it ! . Is there ant tricks to get them to feed from it

Thanks

 

[beeboybee]

presuming they physically have access? Eg you took out any porter escape from the crown board and the rapid feeder is positioned directly over the hole in the crown board,
then dribble a tiny bit down the inside of the rapid feeder just enough to entice the bees up, not enough to drown them!!

 

[beeboybee]

just re reeding your post you said NUCS have you re hived them?

i personally would check levels of stores in the nuc before feeding as you don't want to over feed as this can fill all the available laying space, and this could lead to swarming.

 

[oliver90owner]

Probaby haven't found the thing it the cavern - too busy trying to keep warm.

Probably don't need it.

Tell us more about this 'installation'.

 

[pargyle]

Just received my first 2 nucs , put on a rapid feeder two days ago. But the bees havnt feed from it yet . Is this because they havnt found it ! . Is there ant tricks to get them to feed from it

Thanks

Bit more info needed I think ...

Are the bees still in the Nucs or have you transferred them to hives ?

How many frames of bees have you got and how many frames in the hive(s). Are there frames of brood/stores in the hives ?

Timber hives or polys ?

Why did you feel they needed feeding ?

 

[itma]

Just received my first 2 nucs , put on a rapid feeder two days ago. But the bees havnt feed from it yet . Is this because they havnt found it ! . Is there ant tricks to get them to feed from it

Thanks

Feeding thin syrup (about 45% white sugar by weight) provides fuel for comb drawing.
However feeding excess (and/or excessively strong) syrup will lead to it being stored (rather than consumed immediately as fuel). And excess stored syrup, occupying comb needed for brooding, will end up with premature swarming.


Getting the bees to recognise that there is good stuff in the feeder can be a pain.
New kit doesn't help!
One thing I do is to pick an appropriate sized, stiffish leaf (I have a few Bay trees in the apiary) and dipping it in the syrup, paint the feeder cone with syrup before using the leaf to drip syrup down the walls of the 'throat' of the cone - and finally pushing the syrupey leaf into the throat, ideally right down to touch the frame topbar beneath (thus providing a direct ladder into the feeder, bypassing the dead-end of the underside of the cone.
/// My preference is to have only a small round hole in the feeder board, to match the 'throat' of the feeder (blanking off the underside of the cone). It means positioning the feeder exactly, so, once correctly positioned, I draw round it with a marker pen, making it easy to reposition it accurately.

 

[Mickyboy]

Bit more info needed I think ...

Are the bees still in the Nucs or have you transferred them to hives ?

How many frames of bees have you got and how many frames in the hive(s). Are there frames of brood/stores in the hives ?

Timber hives or polys ?

Why did you feel they needed feeding ?

Hi
I have transferred the nuc into a national hive and have dummied them down to 7 frames
4frames of brood 1 1/2 frames of store and they are drawing comb on 1 more frames .
I was advised to feed a syrup mix to help them get draw out the foundation .
Thanks

 

[Mickyboy]

Feeding thin syrup (about 45% white sugar by weight) provides fuel for comb drawing.
However feeding excess (and/or excessively strong) syrup will lead to it being stored (rather than consumed immediately as fuel). And excess stored syrup, occupying comb needed for brooding, will end up with premature swarming.


Getting the bees to recognise that there is good stuff in the feeder can be a pain.
New kit doesn't help!
One thing I do is to pick an appropriate sized, stiffish leaf (I have a few Bay trees in the apiary) and dipping it in the syrup, paint the feeder cone with syrup before using the leaf to drip syrup down the walls of the 'throat' of the cone - and finally pushing the syrupey leaf into the throat, ideally right down to touch the frame topbar beneath (thus providing a direct ladder into the feeder, bypassing the dead-end of the underside of the cone.
/// My preference is to have only a small round hole in the feeder board, to match the 'throat' of the feeder (blanking off the underside of the cone). It means positioning the feeder exactly, so, once correctly positioned, I draw round it with a marker pen, making it easy to reposition it accurately.

Thank you that worked a treat

 

[pargyle]

Hi
I have transferred the nuc into a national hive and have dummied them down to 7 frames
4frames of brood 1 1/2 frames of store and they are drawing comb on 1 more frames .
I was advised to feed a syrup mix to help them get draw out the foundation .
Thanks

Good ... Heed Itma's advice above about over feeding them .. they will only draw out the comb they need so giving them more syrup does not always equate to them drawing more comb. A bit to get them started - yes - but if there's plenty of forage about (and there should be) let them feed themselves with what's natural - they will !!!

 

[YorkshireBees]

Personally at present in my area the flow is so good that I would never feed a new Nuc or a Nuc that has been transferred into a full size brood box.

As stated in another thread I transferred a strong 6 frames Nuc into a Poly BB complete with all frames and within 1-2 weeks they have drawn out all frames and started using every frame for brood / stores. NOTE this was a very strong Nuc!