Just received email from Cheshire Beekeepers Association
"Starvation Risk
With the very unseasonal mild weather recently, our bees have consumed far more of their winter stores than is usual. Bees have been flying regularly in recent weeks. There is little by way of forage available, so they are simply using up their stores. All my colonies had plenty of stores at the end of September and were well prepared for the winter. However, I have checked them all in the past few days and almost all are now close to starvation. I have now given them all 1kg of fondant above the feed hole in the crown board and will have to check and replace this as necessary from now until March. I have never experienced a situation as extreme as this in 30 years of keeping bees.
Please check your colonies as a matter of urgency and if they are short of food, or if you are unsure, then give them supplementary food in the form of fondant. The equipment suppliers usually have fondant available, or you can use bakers fondant or even make your own. If you do make your own, do not use a recipe which includes the use of an acid as some do. Heating sugar in the presence of an acid results in the production of HMF which is harmful to bees. In an emergency you can simply use a bag of white sugar. Cut a small hole in the side of a 1kg bag, pour in a cup of water to dampen the sugar and then place the bag on the crown board with the hole on the bag lined up with the hole in the crownboard. You will need an eke, or empty super to lift the roof to clear the bag. Liquid feeds should not be given at this time of year as this can cause confusion amongst the bees, making them think there is a flow on and encouraging them to fly even more in search for the 'nectar' source. The dance language doesn't let them communicate 'it's in the roof'!!
Please do find a few minutes to check your bees. A few minutes work now could save them."
Email copied exactly as received
"Starvation Risk
With the very unseasonal mild weather recently, our bees have consumed far more of their winter stores than is usual. Bees have been flying regularly in recent weeks. There is little by way of forage available, so they are simply using up their stores. All my colonies had plenty of stores at the end of September and were well prepared for the winter. However, I have checked them all in the past few days and almost all are now close to starvation. I have now given them all 1kg of fondant above the feed hole in the crown board and will have to check and replace this as necessary from now until March. I have never experienced a situation as extreme as this in 30 years of keeping bees.
Please check your colonies as a matter of urgency and if they are short of food, or if you are unsure, then give them supplementary food in the form of fondant. The equipment suppliers usually have fondant available, or you can use bakers fondant or even make your own. If you do make your own, do not use a recipe which includes the use of an acid as some do. Heating sugar in the presence of an acid results in the production of HMF which is harmful to bees. In an emergency you can simply use a bag of white sugar. Cut a small hole in the side of a 1kg bag, pour in a cup of water to dampen the sugar and then place the bag on the crown board with the hole on the bag lined up with the hole in the crownboard. You will need an eke, or empty super to lift the roof to clear the bag. Liquid feeds should not be given at this time of year as this can cause confusion amongst the bees, making them think there is a flow on and encouraging them to fly even more in search for the 'nectar' source. The dance language doesn't let them communicate 'it's in the roof'!!
Please do find a few minutes to check your bees. A few minutes work now could save them."
Email copied exactly as received
