So it began

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Well after a despondent year with the Covid virus. Things took an unexpected turn.
I have been lucky enough to have obtained a swarm.
So after placing the swarm into my 14x12 National, she decided to swarm straight into the bramble opposite, not to fear, I placed the swarm back into the hive and that’s where they have stayed. I mixed Sugar to 1kg per 1 pint of water and fed instantly. I popped back a couple day later and they had only taken a bit of it, so I topped the feeder up and left well alone. On inspecting from the outside today, they seem to be piling the pollen in, albeit a dark pollen.

Anyway, thanks for letting me bore you all.

A very excited Dougie

 

[Chris Nother]

Never boring to hear and share experiences!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I mixed Sugar to 1kg per 1 pint of water

1:1 syrup should be 1kilo sugar to a litre of water (a pint and three quarters more or less) so what you gave them was more like 2:1 heavy syrup.
No great problem, the bees don't mind, just certain beekeepers. but make sure you get it right in the autumn as you need to give them heavy syrup which is 2 pounds sugar to 1 pint water as two kilos of sugar has difficulty in dissolving in a litre of water.

 

[enrico]

Lovely story but take heed of JBM try not to mix pints and litres!
E

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Thanks Guys, I really appreciate your advice. I’ve just made a note of this in my journal. I feel a bit peeved with myself now. As I want the very best for my ladies.
Will changing the feed ratio now, cause upset to them?
Another thing, what is the best feeder to use. At the moment I’m using a small feeder and there seemed to be a good que for it.

Thank you all

 

[E&MBees]

I use a 6L Rapid feeder, which seems to work well. It’s a rectangular shaped one, which has a covered cone in the middle and sits over a hole in the crown board. The bees climb up the centre of the cone and down the sides to reach the syrup. It’s available from all the usual places. There are others, and I’m sure that other more experienced beekeepers will have other suggestions, but it works well for my bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Like Emily I like a rapid feeder with central access but I use a round 2 litre one. I can visit my bees easily daily to top up and if the food isn’t taken it’s easy to take off. Much easier than a larger volume one.

 

[E&MBees]

I’m sure the smaller ones are easier to use. I managed to unbalance the 6L one, what a mess. Everything got covered in syrup.

 

[Swarm]

And if in doubt about ratios, give them invert.

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Thanks again. It’s nice to know there’s some good guys on here with good intentions for a new Beekeeper. It is a Rapid feeder I’m using, albeit a small one. I have been gifted a large one but the whole is on the end of the crown board as opposed to the Center, that didn’t sit well with me for some reason.

Just looking at Invert, it looks like good stuff, where is the best place to purchase this from. I think I would like to go down this route as they need to build up for winter.

Thank you. Dougie

 

[E&MBees]

Thanks again. It’s nice to know there’s some good guys on here with good intentions for a new Beekeeper. It is a Rapid feeder I’m using, albeit a small one. I have been gifted a large one but the whole is on the end of the crown board as opposed to the Center, that didn’t sit well with me for some reason.

Just looking at Invert, it looks like good stuff, where is the best place to purchase this from. I think I would like to go down this route as they need to build up for winter.

Thank you. Dougie

I buy it through my local teaching apiary as they buy it in by the pallet load. It saves on p&p which is usually fairly hefty.

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Ah ok, that makes sense, as it’s hefty. I wish I knew more people in my area, a group buy would be right up my street

 

[E&MBees]

Do you have a local teaching apiary, association or a local Facebook page?

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Unfortunately not. Covid meant that last years lessons haven’t been completed yet. So I haven’t been able to join the local club. Hopefully that will change soon.
I don’t use social media at all.

Looks like you’re stuck with me.

Jokes aside, I don’t want to be asking silly questions all the time so I’m reading and watching plenty of YouTube vids.

It’s good to be here though

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ah ok, that makes sense, as it’s hefty. I wish I knew more people in my area, a group buy would be right up my street

Invert makes sense. It doesn't go off, bees store it readily and its safe even if it doesn't get capped.
See if your local BKA does a bulk buy. I got some last year ... £11 for 10litres

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

.
Will changing the feed ratio now, cause upset to them?
Another thing, what is the best feeder to use. At the moment I’m using a small feeder and there seemed to be a good que for it.

Thank you all

Changing the ratio won't upset them and heavy (2:1) syrup is fine to use all the year round, so I wouldn't bother - it's all I ever use, In fact I only use invert which is even more concentrated than 2:1 (invert stays liquid at heavier concentrations even though sugar syrup would crystalise) There is often a lot of nonsense spoken about syrup concentrations - people get obsessed with it come the autumn.
I only highlighted it to ensure you knew the recipe as you do want to use heavy syrup in the autumn as it is easier for the bees to reduce the water content for storing.
As for feeders, I only use rapid feeders, the smaller 4 pint ones are fine for occasional feeding in the summer but you want the larger gallon feeders for autumn feeding of stores as you want them to take it down quickly, the sporadic stop start frequency of the smaller ones tend to put the bees off storing before they have had their fill.

I have been gifted a large one but the whole is on the end of the crown board as opposed to the Center, that didn’t sit well with me for some reason.

Really doesn't matter - the off centre ones do have a logic. when the bees store up for winter, they arrange the nest so that the stores are at the back - furthest away from the entrance with the brood and cluster right in the front so that it's easier for the colony to defend their stores. The off centre feeders are designed so that the feed hole is placed at the front of the hive so that it is always over the brood nest, making it more accessible to the colony, and the feed chamber stays warmer.

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Really doesn't matter - the off centre ones do have a logic. when the bees store up for winter, they arrange the nest so that the stores are at the back - furthest away from the entrance with the brood and cluster right in the front so that it's easier for the colony to defend their stores. The off centre feeders are designed so that the feed hole is placed at the front of the hive so that it is always over the brood nest, making it more accessible to the colony, and the feed chamber stays warmer.

Oh ok, that makes a lot of sense, so if I fill the large feeder, the hole should be a the front of the hive centra. I’ll get that on. I’m going to try and source some invert ASAP.

Thank you.

 

[E&MBees]

Unfortunately not. Covid meant that last years lessons haven’t been completed yet. So I haven’t been able to join the local club. Hopefully that will change soon.
I don’t use social media at all.

Looks like you’re stuck with me.

Jokes aside, I don’t want to be asking silly questions all the time so I’m reading and watching plenty of YouTube vids.

It’s good to be here though

I’ve had a challenging year with my bees, and the help and advice I have received from forum members has been invaluable. Be careful about YouTube, some of the suggestions on there are a bit dodgy! I’m sure the more experienced forum members will be able to suggest who to follow.

The search function is quite good for avoiding the ‘is this a silly question’ worry!

Good luck!

 

[Buzz Bee Babe]

Thanks E&mbees, I hope the challenge was all worth it in the end, I’m sure it has been. Yes it’s a great forum, some great people at the forefront.

The search button has become my friend of late
In fact I’ll go and search recommended YouTube channels to follow.

All the best D

 

[drex]

I use a large rapid feeder if I want to get stores in quick before winter. I use the mesh feeders to simulate a flow as in when queen rearing. I use a frame feeder, so that it is close to the bees, in small nucs. Perhaps I just like faffing about, but I try to work with my bees