Starvation warning ⚠️

[Kali]

Starvation warning issued by the Welsh BKA .....
Read on Web page

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they're getting more like the BBKA by the day.
I had my rant at some of the committee at the Royal Welsh

 

[Gilberdyke John]

they're getting more like the BBKA by the day.
I had my rant at some of the committee at the Royal Welsh

I don't know if I missed the clockwork warning from the BBKA but one of two local association members are reporting seeing actual shortage of stores this year.

 

[jeff33]

I have had to feed a few of my hives already, they were on their last bit of stores.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Most of us are keeping an eye on brood stores anyway. It’s what we should be doing
But I’ve moved the thread to the beginners section to make sure they are aware that while inspections can be relaxed food needs to be monitored.

 

[jeff33]

Most of us are keeping an eye on brood stores anyway. It’s what we should be doing
But I’ve moved the thread to the beginners section to make sure they are aware that while inspections can be relaxed food needs to be monitored.

I had set aside 22 brood frames full of honey for winter stores, they have now all been used in nucs and colonies!

 

[ericbeaumont]

keeping an eye on brood stores

Checked 12 nucs in N London last week and 5 needed a frame of honey.

 

[blackcloud]

They should qualify it a little more as new keepers can just read the headline and over react.
Ivy is only just around the corner.

 

[maggiescrase123]

Just inspected my 4 colonies and it is rather depressing (A Hyde Hives long hive and 2 WBC's) The two colonies that share the long hive have pollen stores and some stored nectar but that is about all - the brood frames are stripped of surrounding stores and really no honey at all. One of the WBC's has 5 frames of capped honey in the super the other has only what is around the brood (they are a small swarm from early June) - Advice needed.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

They should qualify it a little more as new keepers can just read the headline and over react.
Ivy is only just around the corner.

I wish our local balsam bashers would give it a rest.

 

[jeff33]

They should qualify it a little more as new keepers can just read the headline and over react.
Ivy is only just around the corner.

Usually the case, feeding frenzy starts on seeing the headline, leaving no space for the queen to lay throughout autumn and leading to colony failure during the winter withthe usual statement of 'they had plenty of stores left'.

 

[madasafish]

We are feeding our 4 allotment hives: all with zero stores due to July being a 100% washout.

Just finished my third extraction: yield 25% of last year for this period due to weather. Then treat and feed for winter.

 

[ericbeaumont]

brood frames are stripped

Suggest you take off the WBC super & extract.

Reduce the entrance to one bee space, take off the super & put on an empty feeder. As dusk falls add a litre of the honey+some syrup, but quietly. Don't spill a drop. Repeat as necessary until forage picks up.

small swarm

Remind yourself next season to match hive volume to colony size: this swarm would have been better off without the super.

 

[Kali]

Just inspected my 4 colonies and it is rather depressing (A Hyde Hives long hive and 2 WBC's) The two colonies that share the long hive have pollen stores and some stored nectar but that is about all - the brood frames are stripped of surrounding stores and really no honey at all. One of the WBC's has 5 frames of capped honey in the super the other has only what is around the brood (they are a small swarm from early June) - Advice needed.

Same issue here .... north west coast .... 3 supers all gone

 

[drex]

What are you all moaning about? It is why they collect to excess

 

[Swarm]

How much Spring harvest was removed from these struggling colonies?

 

[maggiescrase123]

How much Spring harvest was removed from these struggling colonies?

in my case - none

 

[Swarm]

in my case - none

Were these over wintered colonies? The small swarm from June has had no resources to build up and probably could have used some light syrup feed during the rainy weeks of July.
If over wintered, what was their status (frames of brood) around late April?
What were the honey stores like during the massive Hawthorn flow in June?
Have you lost any swarms?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well it all comes down to keeping an eye on stores. Simple.
I gave broods with no stores and a full super on top.

 

[BernardBlack]

My best hive has 2 supers. The brood box had little to no stores yesterday, so I added a frame of stores.

I will continue to monitor, but even if they use up the frame I added to the brood box... they should be ok as there are two supers above? Yes?