Spring feed

[Ely]

Blimey. There are some right characters joining up lately.

 

[Bosleeu]

Would never leave any animals in my care to starve to death on purpose, just because i did not need them.

You have an apt forum name,then

Not only are we moraly obliged to look after animals in our care, you may want to brush up on the Animal Welfare Act.

Unite it strengthen or colonies, or requeen in Spring, or even just give the bees away. I am sure somebody will have them in exchange for some frames etc.

But never just let them starve.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I helped a friend do his first ever first spring inspection and I can tell you a box full of dead bees dying licking out the last of their stores is a very very saddening sight.

 

[user 6228]

Not only are we moraly obliged to look after animals in our care, you may want to brush up on the Animal Welfare Act.

Unite it strengthen or colonies, or requeen in Spring, or even just give the bees away. I am sure somebody will have them in exchange fomalsr some frames etc.

But never just let them starve.

The animal welfare act excludes them I believe at the moment.
"Animals to which the Act applies

(1)In this Act, except subsections (4) and (5), “animal” means a vertebrate other than man.
(2)Nothing in this Act applies to an animal while it is in its foetal or embryonic form.
(3)The appropriate national authority may by regulations for all or any of the purposes of this Act—
(a)extend the definition of “animal” so as to include invertebrates of any description;
(b)make provision in lieu of subsection (2) as respects any invertebrates included in the definition of “animal”;
(c)amend subsection (2) to extend the application of this Act to an animal from such earlier stage of its development as may be specified in the regulations.
(4)The power under subsection (3)(a) or (c) may only be exercised if the appropriate national authority is satisfied, on the basis of scientific evidence, that animals of the kind concerned are capable of experiencing pain or suffering.
(5)In this section, “vertebrate” means any animal of the Sub-phylum Vertebrata of the Phylum Chordata and “invertebrate” means any animal not of that Sub-phylum"

However THe welfare of farmed animals act might apply

"Animals to which these Regulations apply

3. (1) These Regulations apply to farmed animals only.

(2) In these Regulations, a “farmed animal” means an animal bred or kept for the production of food, wool or skin or other farming purposes, but not including—
(a)a fish, reptile or amphibian;
(b)an animal whilst at, or solely intended for use in, a competition, show or cultural or sporting event or activity;
(c)an experimental or laboratory animal; or
(d)an animal living in the wild."

 

[user 6228]

From the Welfare of farmed animals

Feed, water and other substances

22. Animals must be fed a wholesome diet which is appropriate to their age and species and which is fed to them in sufficient quantity to maintain them in good health, to satisfy their nutritional needs and to promote a positive state of well-being.

23. Animals must not be provided with food or liquid that contains any substance that may cause them unnecessary suffering or injury and must be provided with food and liquid in a manner that does not cause them unnecessary suffering or injury.

24. All animals must have access to feed at intervals appropriate to their physiological needs (and, in any case, at least once a day), except where a veterinary surgeon acting in the exercise of his profession otherwise directs.

25.All animals must either have access to a suitable water supply and be provided with an adequate supply of fresh drinking water each day, or be able to satisfy their fluid intake needs by other means.

26.Feeding and watering equipment must be designed, constructed, placed and maintained so that contamination of food or water and the harmful effects of competition between animals are minimised.

27.—(1) — No other substance, with the exception of those given for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes or for the purpose of zootechnical treatment, may be administered to animals unless it has been demonstrated by scientific studies of animal welfare or established practice that the effect of that substance is not detrimental to the health or welfare of the animals.
(2) In sub-paragraph (1), “zootechnical treatment” has the meaning given in Article 1(2)(c) of Directive 96/22/EEC(a) Concerning the prohibition on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and of beta-agonists.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

a lump of boiled sugar, devoid of nutrients, refined and processed,

No nutrients eh - safe to give to the kids by the hudredweight in that case

 

[Ely]

From the Welfare of farmed animals

Feed, water and other substances

22. Animals must be fed a wholesome diet which is appropriate to their age and species and which is fed to them in sufficient quantity to maintain them in good health, to satisfy their nutritional needs and to promote a positive state of well-being.

23. Animals must not be provided with food or liquid that contains any substance that may cause them unnecessary suffering or injury and must be provided with food and liquid in a manner that does not cause them unnecessary suffering or injury.

24. All animals must have access to feed at intervals appropriate to their physiological needs (and, in any case, at least once a day), except where a veterinary surgeon acting in the exercise of his profession otherwise directs.

25.All animals must either have access to a suitable water supply and be provided with an adequate supply of fresh drinking water each day, or be able to satisfy their fluid intake needs by other means.

26.Feeding and watering equipment must be designed, constructed, placed and maintained so that contamination of food or water and the harmful effects of competition between animals are minimised.

27.—(1) — No other substance, with the exception of those given for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes or for the purpose of zootechnical treatment, may be administered to animals unless it has been demonstrated by scientific studies of animal welfare or established practice that the effect of that substance is not detrimental to the health or welfare of the animals.
(2) In sub-paragraph (1), “zootechnical treatment” has the meaning given in Article 1(2)(c) of Directive 96/22/EEC(a) Concerning the prohibition on the use in stockfarming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and of beta-agonists.

Balls to what is written down. People shouldn't need authority to tell them to to treat living things with respect. It is a hard line to see though. I guess taking their honey isn't respectful.

 

[Dishmop]

I helped a friend do his first ever first spring inspection and I can tell you a box full of dead bees dying licking out the last of their stores is a very very saddening sight.

Odd. They had stores but died?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Odd. They had stores but died?

licking out the last of their stores

 

[sbisme]

Thanks guys for the responses all I was trying to gauge was at what point the early alarm bells should start to ring come Jan/ Fed / March before the flow starts again and they are able to build stores back up.
I know the weights of all my hive parts so I can tell give or take lb what stores are in there. Pete D gave me my answer earlier on in the thread

As for leaving bees to die well that's just not going to happen over here even if I do feed the evil fondant

 

[madasafish]

sbisme

I see you are in Stafford.. so not far from me.

A wizened older Beek (older than me) feeds about 250ml of 1:1 sugar solution late Feb/early March - per week- so the colony can start growing for the OSR.

I don't : being on the edge of the Staffs Moorlands, there is no OSR withing flying distance.. (nor any other arable crops for that matter).

So horses for courses.

 

[sbisme]

madasafish thanks for the reply and yeh not to far away

 

[Dishmop]

licking out the last of their stores

so they werent dead then?

 

[Finman]

.
What a hive needs in spring build up is pollen. It may be stored in last summer like Carniolan often do, or it is new pollen right from willows etc. Sugar feeding does not help in build up. But it stucks the valuable warm brooding cells.

In Britain, I suppose, bees get well pollen in early spring if weathers are good to fly in flowers.
Bees need quite high temp that they get full pollen loads, 16C. Wind is important too in the weather.

In spring hives consume much food because they have brood. So you should be aware, have they enough stores to get over bad weathers. Bees consume a huge amount of pollen in spring if there is a rainy week. Often with good weathers pollen too limits brooding space.


Almost all beeks believe that sugar feeding accelerates brood rearing, but acutully it does not. Scientific fact is that it is pollen protein which makes new brood.
One frames full of pollen feed one frame of brood.