Stores

[Mikeb123]

Ivy flowers at this time of year produces large quantities of nectar. Because it primarily contains glucose it tends to crystallise quickly, however the bees appear to cope with it as long as the winter isn’t too harsh.

I took this from a commercial keepers site, could someone elaborate on the 'as long as the winter isn't too harsh' bit....

do the bees need to get out to get water to break the stores down?
Thanks

 

[Tom Bick]

I would say that good healthy colonies cope perfectly well with crystallised ivy honey, after all its not as though ivy is a new nectar source for the bees. Problems happen when the ivy is perhaps the majority stored honey for the bees and could be as a result of the beekeeper been a bit greedy. Bees probably manage moisture in the hive over winter way better than we give them credit for.

 

[Mikeb123]

That's right I'm sure they know how to deal with it, they've been doing it for a few years now!

 

[Little John]

I took this from a commercial keepers site, could someone elaborate on the 'as long as the winter isn't too harsh' bit....

Maybe they're suggesting that if the bees remain tightly clustered, they may be unable to source the necessary water (inside or outside the hive) to dissolve the xtals ?
LJ

 

[Dishmop]

Ivy flowers at this time of year produces large quantities of nectar. Because it primarily contains glucose it tends to crystallise quickly, however the bees appear to cope with it as long as the winter isn’t too harsh.

problem is they dont cope too well with flying in current temperatures of 6 deg or so.