Should I be feeding?

[fabindia]

I got my first 5 frame nuc a month ago, transferred to my hive, and since then have been feeding them 1:1 sugar water.

I checked them again tonight and they appear to be doing very well, lots of bees, lots of brood, drawing and filling the new frames with nectar, etc.

Hence the question, they appear to be doing very well, the weather is looking good, so should I now leave them to their own devices?

 

[Galaxy55]

Not an expert but don't think there is any need to feed them - plenty of forage about and the bees should be able to look after themselves. In fact you have to be very careful and aware of the fact that bees will store the feed you are giving them and it may result in the queen having nowhere to lay which could result in them swarming.

 

[theeggman]

How many frames of brood and how many stores are in the BB?
If they are just filling brood frames with stores at this time of year I would cease feeding if the brood is increasing.
You don't want the BB filled with stores so the Q has no where to lay.
Down her in the SW. there is a good flow of nectar on, and if it's the same in the frozen north they probably don't need feed at present.

Tim.

Galaxy beat me to the button!!

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

I got my nuc about 8 weeks ago, gave them a feed in the first week then let them get on with it. They have now drawn all of the 14x12 frames, with BIAS and pollen stores, and have just put my second super on. Have faith that they will be OK!

 

[pargyle]

Stop feeding them .. what Blue Spinnaker has said above is right. You should only be feeding your bees when they are in danger of starving when there is no forage or they can't fly because of the weather - or you need to build up stores for the winter if they have not enough of their own (if you haven't left them enough honey !).

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Stop feeding them .. what Blue Spinnaker has said above is right. You should only be feeding your bees when they are in danger of starving when there is no forage or they can't fly because of the weather - or you need to build up stores for the winter if they have not enough of their own (if you haven't left them enough honey !).

There seems to be a school of thought insidiously spreading round that bees need cramming with syrup whether they require it or not. A short boost is fine but not for weeks. Even the boost may be unnecessary when plenty of forage is available.

 

[Polyanwood]

I agree. Feeding a nuc with sugar syrup when there is a flow on and they don't need it does more harm than good. It increases the risk of robbing by other bees and increases interest from wasps and if not done in moderation, massively increases the risk of the nuc swarming due to the queen not having enough room to lay.

I think a useful rule of thumb I was taught is that in the Summer a nuc needs the equivalent of a frame of stores and a hive needs 2 - then even if it rains everyday for a week they will be fine until the next inspection.

What do others think?

 

[YorkshireBees]

I think if a Nuc is put together properly, ie enough stores and bias to start with then you almost never need to feed them!

Given the majority of Nucs are started in late Spring / early Summer and usually there is enough forage and good weather there should be no need to feed.

I also don't personally agree with feeding a Nuc when it is re-hived into a full sized hive but that is my opinion and the way I beekeep.

 

[Swarm]

I think if a Nuc is put together properly, ie enough stores and bias to start with then you almost never need to feed them!

Given the majority of Nucs are started in late Spring / early Summer and usually there is enough forage and good weather there should be no need to feed.

I also don't personally agree with feeding a Nuc when it is re-hived into a full sized hive but that is my opinion and the way I beekeep.