Should I feed colony which already has 4 frames of stores?

[tonybloke]

It is DIRECTLY related to that.

We are talking about having to feed our colonies right now, due to the rubbish weather here in the UK and the risk of colonies starving. Stuffed colonies or not.

If you listend to RAB that would mean that anyone who does have to feed now cannot sell their honey as there is no way of telling whether that will eventually end up in supers.

Do you agree with that?

I'd like to suggest that anyone feeding now should perhaps think of getting a larger hive? if the bees have enough space to store in the autumn, there should be no need to feed your bees

 

[newportbuzz]

I'd like to suggest that anyone feeding now should perhaps think of getting a larger hive? if the bees have enough space to store in the autumn, there should be no need to feed your bees

how about if you 3 weeks ago in the good weather and have done as finman sugested and removed frames of stores and given small feed and foundation? now its all gone wrong.

how about if you are going for nucs/increase?

Or even if you are aiming for the heather crop rather than the bramble clover one?

dont think theres a one shade paintbrush for everyone.

 

[Ely]

I'd like to suggest that anyone feeding now should perhaps think of getting a larger hive? if the bees have enough space to store in the autumn, there should be no need to feed your bees

 

[tonybloke]

how about if you 3 weeks ago in the good weather and have done as finman sugested and removed frames of stores and given small feed and foundation? now its all gone wrong.

how about if you are going for nucs/increase?

Or even if you are aiming for the heather crop rather than the bramble clover one?

dont think theres a one shade paintbrush for everyone.

1, I remove a couple of frames of stores in early september, so the bees can gather / store more honey. this gives me a few frames to use for nuc's / splits / AS.
2, heather? that's a specialised crop, and not available to me in the east, so I can't comment
3, as an urban beekeeper, clover doesn't come into my equation.

 

[Ely]

..........

 

[MandF]

I'd like to suggest that anyone feeding now should perhaps think of getting a larger hive? if the bees have enough space to store in the autumn, there should be no need to feed your bees

Tell that to the RBI who advised to check hives as due to the poor weather stores could be getting dangerously low.

And given the forecast for the next 2 weeks at least is more of the same.

A question, how much stores would a hive with brood covering 7-8 frames get through per day, if confined to the hive?

 

[tonybloke]

Tell that to the RBI who advised to check hives as due to the poor weather stores could be getting dangerously low.

And given the forecast for the next 2 weeks at least is more of the same.

A question, how much stores would a hive with brood covering 7-8 frames get through per day, if confined to the hive?

lovely sunny day here, bees busy orientating and gathering both nectar and pollen, the weather forecast doesn't seem to apply to the eastern extremeties

 

[MandF]

Just started tipping it down again here in SW London. Was a reasonably bright morning. I guess these showers/storms are on their way to you!

 

[MandF]

hailstones at the moment, for second time this afternoon.

 

[Finman]

how about if you 3 weeks ago in the good weather and have done as finman sugested and removed frames of stores and given small feed and foundation? now its all gone wrong.



how about if you are going for nucs/increase?



Or even if you are aiming for the heather crop rather than the bramble clover one?

dont think theres a one shade paintbrush for everyone.

what about if a lady has balls, she is an uncle

three weeks ago was 3 weeks ago. Then you give food back if needed.

- No it is not time to make nucs

- clover does not bloom for long time

- heather blooms after 4 moths.

Yes I am wrong. I am not going to debate with s** ....2 hive owners.

.i use to have bad weathers here but I am a master to build up my hives.

.

 

[Finman]

.

If the hive has too much food, which stuck the brood area, it is simple to take extra off.
If the hive has lack of food, it is simple to give more. Normal procedures.


But it is better to look into the hive before you run to internet ask, should I feed

i have not seen much guys who ask, should I take off extra stores.

What is matter with you guys?
Mere lack of experience

 

[aberreef]

.

If the hive has too much food, which stuck the brood area, it is simple to take extra off.
If the hive has lack of food, it is simple to give more. Normal procedures.


But it is better to look into the hive before you run to internet ask, should I feed

i have not seen much guys who ask, should I take off extra stores.

What is matter with you guys?
Mere lack of experience

I'm figuring you are refering to taking off fully sealed stores

I think alot of feeding questions are being asked by beeks just entering their second season. I'm only in my second myself but already much more relaxed where the bees are concerned. It's easy to over-complicate things but no doubt I'll be asking seemingly obvious questions myself (again) at some stage

 

[Finman]

I'm figuring you are refering to taking off fully sealed stores

I think alot of feeding questions are being asked by beeks just entering their second season. I'm only in my second myself but already much more relaxed where the bees are concerned. It's easy to over-complicate things but no doubt I'll be asking seemingly obvious questions myself (again) at some stage

i have taken food off and I have given frames to other hives 50 years.
It is so simple. Brood box cannot be half full winter food when swarming time is going.

.

 

[newportbuzz]

what about if a lady has balls, she is an uncle

three weeks ago was 3 weeks ago. Then you give food back if needed.

- No it is not time to make nucs

- clover does not bloom for long time

- heather blooms after 4 moths.

Yes I am wrong. I am not going to debate with s** ....2 hive owners.

.i use to have bad weathers here but I am a master to build up my hives.

.

Why is now not the time to be preparing to make nucs???
I understand i fall into the two hive owner profile but please humour me.

I am aiming to produce 6 nucs mid season(for sale) and also produce another 6-12 to put into winter depending on the season. I think this would be quite a stretch to do without feeding especialy to get frames drawn. i have curently most hives on double brood and have given a 3rd broodbox which the bees are curently working on. So far this year they have been given a gallon of 1:1 syrup last week between 5 hives. so i am currently preparing for nucs as i will have plenty of frames and bees and brood to make up my nucs next month or even later if the season dictates.



As for heather i have read some advise which says split everything as far as it will go keeping full brood boxes at all times and then combine again after the heather flow. This would also be greatly helped with a bit of feed.

And for the clover i have read that you build them up in preperation for the clover this can mean giving a bit of a feed to stimulate them. it does not mean that the syrup should be given in such quantity that it is all stored or that it should be allowed to mix with the clover/bramble crop. (for example for me it would mean bridging the june gap.)

If you would be kind to reply to a two hive owner i would be very interested in learning what you can see wrong with any of the above?
open to all to reply of course.

 

[Ely]

1 hive or 1 000 000 hives the biology/mechanics/physics of the colony are the same. The rest is organisation skills

I have no where near the knowledge as you veterans but I'm sure a '2 hive beekeeper' with 50 years experience has. In fact. With just two colonies to concentrate and study he may know a lot more about the inner workings and behaviours of a colony than most '1000' hive keepers'.


...oops...or she

 

[Finman]

Why is now not the time to be preparing to make nucs???
I understand i fall into the two hive owner profile but please humour me.

I am aiming to produce 6 nucs mid season(for sale) and also produce another 6-12 to put into winter depending on the season. I think this would be quite a stretch to do without feeding especialy to get frames drawn. i have curently most hives on double brood and have given a 3rd broodbox which the bees are curently working on. So far this year they have been given a gallon of 1:1 syrup last week between 5 hives. so i am currently preparing for nucs as i will have plenty of frames and bees and brood to make up my nucs next month or even later if the season dictates.



As for heather i have read some advise which says split everything as far as it will go keeping full brood boxes at all times and then combine again after the heather flow. This would also be greatly helped with a bit of feed.

And for the clover i have read that you build them up in preperation for the clover this can mean giving a bit of a feed to stimulate them. it does not mean that the syrup should be given in such quantity that it is all stored or that it should be allowed to mix with the clover/bramble crop. (for example for me it would mean bridging the june gap.)

If you would be kind to reply to a two hive owner i would be very interested in learning what you can see wrong with any of the above?
open to all to reply of course.

of course you do what you like. ... June gap....it is April now ... feeding sugar to get clover flow (new to me)

what you said, all was wrong. The timing.

Look the tittle....

.
.

 

[newportbuzz]

of course you do what you like. ... June gap....it is April now ... feeding sugar to get clover flow (new to me)

what you said, all was wrong. The timing.

Look the tittle....

.
.

thanks for the reply.

 

[ksjs]

Quick update: just inspected again today and was overwhelmed by number of bees - rammed. They haven't seemingly touched their stores, they haven't touched the super and there really wasn't much laying space.

I've taken off 2 frames, added 2 fresh foundation frames, bruised the remaining stores to encourage moving things around. Tasted the stores I removed, almost certain these are sugar.

Queen seems very active but again didn't spot her, pretty sure that despite seeing my first queen (marked) post supersedure last year, she is no longer in the house. There are however so many bees it is hard to see so who knows.

Did get a bit stressed with their bridge comb between frames - surely it's virtually impossible not to kill bees when putting frames back together where comb is meeting? Can I do anything to limit this apart from being gentle when putting hive back together?

 

[Finman]

Quick update: just inspected again today and was overwhelmed by number


Did get a bit stressed with their bridge comb between frames - surely it's virtually impossible not to kill bees when putting frames back together where comb is meeting? Can I do anything to limit this apart from being gentle when putting hive back together?

that is more and less normal. To get frames back without squeezing bees and queen you must cut extra wax structures away. Give smoke and cut quickly. Don't be afraid if you cut some bees.

Ksjs, you made good work when you react on situation. Many guys think " let's see what happens. I let them be"

 

[drstitson]

if you have brace comb just be gentle when putting frames back.

to prevent it in first place is even better - see my recent 8mm thread.