syrup gone mouldy in ****** nuc!!

[beesleybees]

Hi guys,

I have a ****** nuc and filled up the feding compartment with 1:1 syrup last week. on inspection today, the is a inch or 2 of moudy syrup left in the bottom of the compartment.

any ideas what i should do? I would like to clean it out but how when the nucs full of bees

 

[stephenpug]

I dont know much but i would get the feeder off ASAP

 

[susbees]

One reason to use top feeders...another is topping them up without disturbing any bees and a third you can get an extra frame in.

 

[enrico]

Only half fill it but twice as often!

 

[itma]

I dont know much but i would get the feeder off ASAP

I suspect that the problem is that its a Pains nuc, and the feeder is built-in.
I've blocked off the feeder on mine, but that gives its own problems ...


I'm not sure that there's an easy way to clean the built-in feeder with bees in residence. Hence best to avoid the problem before it happens.

 

[enrico]

I agree the design is awful. Seemed good when I bought it but they build comb in the feeder, refilling it with syrup kills loads despite floating wood and although I have put a QE in the slit between the body and the feeder you can never be sure the queen hasn't got in there. I only use the pains nucs as an emergency now! Pity the idea was good.
E

 

[youngyoungs]

I agree.

I didn't have the issue with mouldy syrup, perhaps because like Enrico, I didn't add too much syrup each time. I did get brace comb built in the nuc, just broke it off each time. When I swopped my colony into the hive, I took the opportunity of making a bit of plastic to block the gap between the nuc and the feeder. I really like the nuc, but am not too sure about the inbuilt feeder.

 

[enrico]

Basic design fault.... It is too wide. If they had made it narrower it might need filling more often but you wouldn't get the brace comb!

 

[abi-e]

I haven't had this problem (yet). I have housed 2 swarms in my poly nuc this year and both have expanded well. Would the ratio of sugar/ water influence how quickly the syrup went mouldy?

 

[SixFooter]

Add thymol to the next batch. The syrup then keeps for ages.
I leave a gallon bottle outdoors at each apiary in case I need it. Does not go mouldy even after several weeks.

 

[Flatters]

I have 4 of these nucs and not had any problem with brace comb.

I now always use thymolised syrup and it keeps without going mouldy.

 

[DorsetB]

I agree the design is awful. Seemed good when I bought it but they build comb in the feeder, refilling it with syrup kills loads despite floating woodE

I'm glad you mentioned that, I was beginning to think I was the only one drowning bees in their nucs, up to an inch deep. Tried wood, plastic, sand in paint, polystyrene beads, etc etc.

I phoned several times when I first got them, but was told every time that I must be doing something wrong as they used them all the time and "never lost more than a handful of bees".

Having recently finally lost a queen in the feeder, I have decided to fill the feeder with expanding foam and seal it off, then drill the roof like I did with my MB nucs, and just use a top feeder.

In many ways the nucs would be better if they forgot about the feeder altogether.

 

[mbc]

Ladders are better than floats if you want to avoid drowning bees.
I find the nucs a good bit of kit for the price and have had no trouble with drowning bees since stuffing some heather into the feeders as bee ladders.

 

[For want of a better word]

I have 4 of these nucs and not had any problem with brace comb.

I now always use thymolised syrup and it keeps without going mouldy.

GARLIC POWDER SEEMS TO WORK TOO !!!
not had any problem as yet using 2:1 but do bring to 80 degs plus for 4 minutes to steralise
are you using cane or beet sugar?