Spring Feeding.

[Honeybeeco]

We have given a thin sugar surup to all our breeding hives last weekend to start the old queens going for the season and to make sure the hives all get thier vitamins we mix in as well. We will continue as and when needed and obviously its weather dependent also. We've had 8 ft of snow here in late April in the last 4 or 5 years so we play it all by ear.

Our winter applied fondant was mostly all consumed and by last week as well.

Not wanting to tempt fate but so far all our hive and nucs have mad it through the mild winter we have had up here.

We also don't get to unstrap our hives perminently for a month or so as the winds here on the mountain can continue for a while longer.

 

[theeggman]

To the forum Honeybeeco

 

[Excession]

No need to feed any of mine, I left them a super each in September, and it was enough to see them through.

 

[Fatbee]

So how do you guys know where the local OSR is? As I'm in a very urban area I assume it's unlikely my girls will find any?

Obee

It's the fields of green brassica looking stuff.

I wouldn't assume, OSR very widely grown right up to urban fringes

 

[irishguy]

Feed thin syrup from early/mid February if you want to encourage early brooding.

Think here the amount of water involved with feeding larvae. Larvae contain rather more than the moisture in fondant. Bees have got by with honey at, say, 18% for millenia, but it all rather depends on whether you want new foragers ready and waiting for the OSR.

OSR is far behind, this year; last two seasons it was well out in bloom by now; or maybe it was just earlier than normal these last two seasons?

Fondant is good for starvation avoidance and not a lot more, unless a good supply of water is available.
A week of really freezing weather (still possible at this time of the year in the UK) could mean the loss of much of the uncapped brood if only fondant is available to them. Just give it some thought!

If that brood happens to be most of the first brooding cycle, the colony could be jeopardised. Up to the beek to decide on the risks. If the second cycle, the colony would just be set back a few weeks. Do your time lines.

RAB

I haven't seen any pollen taken in from bees but lots of brown cappings was on my inspection board and not much flowering I can see so I was thinking of giving a little fondant to this particular hive(took 95% of fondant I had on before removing it) to see it through until there's a flow on. Reason for taking that 5% fondant off was another member was saying they can store it in place where queen needs to lay thou others are still feeding fondant or syrup so I'm confused and wondering if I should have gave more fondant when noticed the cappings.

 

[Tonych224]

Started yesterday on one have the others to do this weekend, some fondant was left but took it off as had gone solid. Warmer weekend ahead hopefully.

 

[aberreef]

So how do you guys know where the local OSR is? As I'm in a very urban area I assume it's unlikely my girls will find any?

Obee

Depending on where you are there may well be osr fairly close to you. There's quite a lot around Cardiff and Newport but none at all in the valleys

 

[Obee1]

Depending on where you are there may well be osr fairly close to you. There's quite a lot around Cardiff and Newport but none at all in the valleys

I really doubt there is any near me. I'm not far from the town centre, and it's very built up for a few miles in any direction - apart from roath park that is opposite - but no fields of OSR there!

Obee

 

[Erichalfbee]

Good job, really. You don't want that mixed up like concrete in with your city blossom honey at extraction time.

 

[oliver90owner]

No need to feed any of mine, I left them a super each in September, and it was enough to see them through.

You and others seem to have missed the point - that spring feeding is not necessarily the same as autumn feeding. Each spring is different; beekeepers may choose to take advantage of early flows; there may be times of severely hard weather at inopportune times. Might be other reasons for spring feeding.

If colonies are only just getting going now, they are not going to take full advantage of any early OSR, per eg. Beekeepers, by now, should already be thinking ahead - or even thinking!

 

[Tremyfro]

My big colony went into the winter with a brood box so heavy that my OH could hardly lift it and a shallow Nadired under it with honey in it. A few weeks ago it was really light....even I could have lifted it!!!.....we have been feeding since then....although there are flowers and trees in flower...the weather is still cold so not much nectar and the bees can only get out between rain showers....even then I expect many didn't make it back to the hive as the winds are awful.
We will continue to feed until it is clear that they can forage and the hives start to show increased weight.

 

[aberreef]

I really doubt there is any near me. I'm not far from the town centre, and it's very built up for a few miles in any direction - apart from roath park that is opposite - but no fields of OSR there!

Obee

The closest I've seen to the center of town is if you follow the road from Radyr to town (can't remember the name of the area sorry)

 

[petersbees]

Still Feeding

This was my girls last week. Think it is gorse that they are bringing in. The weather is still changeable so still feeding/Users/peterweatherill/Pictures/iPhoto Library.photolibrary/Masters/2015/03/27/20150327-100946/IMG_0400.JPG

 

[wessexmario]

The link doesn't work... and you're also exposing your full name in the non-working link.

 

[masterBK]

Maybe if everyone used their real name they wouldn't be as rude to one another!

 

[wessexmario]

A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself "Would I be prepared to put my name, address and phone number on this post?"
If the answer is no, then it's probably best not to post it.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

To reply to the OP - Yes!