Stores/space OK for bees?

[Alabamaeee]

As a new beek this year I have fed all my colonies this last two weeks with 2:1 syrup. They are all very strong i.e. the BB's (commercial) are jammed full of bees.

I inspected them yesterday and the brood boxes are really heavy which I am pleased to find, but the bees are now bringing in nectar, probably from ivy.

I'm afraid they may run out of space and swarm given the warm weather, but as they are commercial BB's I am hoping I can over winter them without adding a super.

Another question. I have heard if they have a lot of ivy honey they may starve during very cold weather as they cannot break it down for food.

Is that the case?

i assume if they can't use it then I need to feed fondant in the winter?

 

[AndreaW]

I would be interested in the answers to this as well. Also a new beek, first colony this year, hoping I can get this one through winter and then expand next year.


I have apiguarded and fed. I currently am going to overwinter on brood and a half with a commercial bb and national shallow (can I call it a super, lol). QE currently sitting on top of both of these with a coverboard on top.

Lots and lots of bees in bb and also a super with all frames drawn out and capping most of them now. Worried in case I should be putting on another super in case they are bringing in ivy nectar. Same concern don't want them swarming as no room. Or is this just not a problem at this time of year as the weather should soon turn really cold we keep being told!

 

[colinlee]

stores/space

hello ,
I use single BB on my commercials over winter as long as the frames are nearly full all should be fine ,I never use fondant if I do have emergancy over winter months I use bags of cane sugar using the hot water method !!

 

[AndreaW]

Better say that when I talked about a super being capped this is just the one I have on for stores as the brood and half, not one I am expecting to extract.

 

[crazy_bull]

I had got mine all fed up in good time, then the wether has changed propting a flow not seen since spring , this has meant every frame is ram packed with nectar/syrup, leaving nowhere for the queen to lay.

This week end i went through all the colonies that were rammed full and removed one or two fully capped frames and replaced them with empty drawn frames to give her room to lay. These capped frames will be frozen and kept for emergency feeding or when building nuc's next year.

C B

 

[oliver90owner]

Crazy_bull has the answer. KISS principle. Nothing complicated. No need for huge changes, as the weather may revert to a 'more normal' autumn at any time (or not, as the case may be). A 16 x 10 (similar to a 14 x 12 in area) should be more than enough for a colony. There are lots just on a single deep National.

Ivy honey is the same as any other. Bees use fondant at 11% water; ivy honey will be at about 18%. So it is simply a matter of them converting it slowly to thermal energy. Mine have used what they have collected for the last 5 winters, apparently without too much problem. There may be a problem if all the stores were ivy (by the beekeeper removing every last skerret of floral honey), but that is down to the keeper. Obviously, if the hive is already full of sugar syrup, this last dose of ivy is not going to be the end of the world for them. I wonder how feral colonies fare in areas with lots of ivy-derived honey?

I would not be surprised if the ivy honey is used as an excuse for colony losses in some cases, so the effect becomes hyped up.

RAB

 

[Teemore]

I wouldn't be too concerned about ivy honey being stored, especially, as RAB says, if the colony has been fed down on syrup. Over the past two years I have seen Nucs made up and given frames of ivy stores and they cleaned out the frames in next to no time and they grew very rapidly. If the bees didn't want it, they wouldn't take it. Look at how slowly most colonies will take down syrup if they have the choice of foraging on ivy instead.

 

[Cazza]

I would not be surprised if the ivy honey is used as an excuse for colony losses in some cases, so the effect becomes hyped up.

RAB

I think you are right on the button here Rab.
Cazza

 

[susbees]

I currently am going to overwinter on brood and a half with a commercial bb and national shallow (can I call it a super, lol).

A commercial brood box is already brood and a half. Plus a super is double brood. Are you sure they need the space? Is the brood box full - as in how many frames of capped stores?

 

[susbees]

hello ,
I use single BB on my commercials over winter as long as the frames are nearly full all should be fine ,I never use fondant if I do have emergancy over winter months I use bags of cane sugar using the hot water method !!

Considering that myself as the price of carriage for fondant is plain nuts.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Considering that myself as the price of carriage for fondant is plain nuts.

If you deal with the right company delivery for fondant is free,and it's still cheaper than sugar.