Syrup in top feeder

[Will Kevans]

I have to rookie questions one is should I keep replenishing syrup in the top feeder? They seem to be going slow on it at the moment. The other question is how do I identify honey in the hive that has been made from this syrup and can this be consumed or mixed with the honey when harvested?I have had my bees since late april and I wont collect anything til next Summer. Do I also need to treat for varoa at some point and how do I do this!? So many questions.

 

[Ian123]

First off have you looked in the hive and assessed any stores? Even a simple heft.? I would definitely be treating and at this time of year your options are limited to apivar so go get some ASAP. How’s the hive set up, are you on single or double brood or even a super? Also what area are you in. Ian

 

[Will Kevans]

I've not looked in at all. The guy I bought them from told me they had been treated for varoa.I have a langstroth dadant with about 9 frames in it and an extra half spare top box with half frames. The bees seem to be very concentrated in activity to the right side of the hive with some moderate activity spread across the hive. I'm thinking perhaps the right side is getting full. I have a hornet trap on the front consisting of a zinc plate with bee sized arched doors in it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

You need to do some reading, a lot of reading - get on a course this winter and get a local mentor ASAP, just because they were treated sometime in the distant past doesn't mean they don't need to be treated again, it's getting a bit late to treat now unless you can find someone nearby with a varrox/sublimox who can treat them with sublimated Oxalic acid.
Although we're now shutting the stable door, you really need to be going in to the hive at regular intervals spring and midsummer to see what's going on

 

[North End Bees]

You need to do some reading, a lot of reading - get on a course this winter and get a local mentor ASAP

Having focussed all your attention on waging war on the Asian Hornets, you've lost valuable time to ensure the bees are fed, treated and winter ready

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Beebase has a good varroa booklet.
Bees tend to develop a (vertical) cigar-shaped brood-nest, so if you have a dadant brood box and a super over it, they have happened to colonise one side. They will stretch across the hive when they are ready to. Is ther a queen excluder between the two boxes?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Bees tend to develop a (vertical) cigar-shaped brood-nest,

Perido Belicoso, Piramide or Perfecto?

 

[user 819]

One can't identify fed sugar and honey made from nectar, the bees will inevitably mix it or top up cells not nectar full. Come spring one will hope most of the BB stores will be used up or removed once a nectar flow resumes. Any feed that, if necessary and needed to feed early spring should be little and often so that it isn't stored in large amounts.
Once supers go on then feeding should stop and not be required.

 

[0bee-1]

Hi Will
you dont say where you are but suggest you see if there are any bee keeping course on in your area for next year (subject to Covid of course) and join your local association/society perhaps best place to start.
there are plenty of good books out there and youtube videos but where to start there - As a starter for 10

Black Mountian Honey - My first Nucleus Episodes 1 -23 a good point for a beginner perhaps

as already mentioned suggest you should check how heavy your hive is by 'hefting' (as in hefty = heavy) your colony needs to have enough stores(food) and be ready for winter. you might need some fo this to help them through https://beek**pingsuppliesuk.com/product-category/feeders-and-food/bee-feed/ I realised as i write this Im not sure how much you know. Check out the youtube link above for feeding fondant!
good luck.!!
Steev

 

[0bee-1]

BTW are you by any chance Will Kevans the French based UK singer-songwriter and master of the catchy pop tune and lyric??

 

[Will Kevans]

Hi Will
you dont say where you are but suggest you see if there are any bee keeping course on in your area for next year (subject to Covid of course) and join your local association/society perhaps best place to start.
there are plenty of good books out there and youtube videos but where to start there - As a starter for 10

Black Mountian Honey - My first Nucleus Episodes 1 -23 a good point for a beginner perhaps

as already mentioned suggest you should check how heavy your hive is by 'hefting' (as in hefty = heavy) your colony needs to have enough stores(food) and be ready for winter. you might need some fo this to help them through https://beek**pingsuppliesuk.com/product-category/feeders-and-food/bee-feed/ I realised as i write this Im not sure how much you know. Check out the youtube link above for feeding fondant!
good luck.!!
Steev

Thanks for this its very helpful.I am in France and not great at the language so enlisting on a course may be a mysifying experience.I have the Haynes guide to bee keeping which is useful to consult, but I seem to approach it by lurching from crisis to crisis...so far I've treated for varoa albeit late. Winter proofed the hive with insulation material...I' ve checked all the frames in the hive and all seems well. The hornets are an ongoing battle but I feel they have dropped in number.

 

[Will Kevans]

BTW are you by any chance Will Kevans the French based UK singer-songwriter and master of the catchy pop tune and lyric??

That'll be one and the same Obee...no relation to the famed Obee won Kanobee from Star Wars fame surely?

 

[Will Kevans]

Beebase has a good varroa booklet.
Bees tend to develop a (vertical) cigar-shaped brood-nest, so if you have a dadant brood box and a super over it, they have happened to colonise one side. They will stretch across the hive when they are ready to. Is ther a queen excluder between the two boxes?

There is not a queen excluder all I have is ten frames and a divider at the top that houses a syrup feeding tray. Do I need to put in a top box with extra small frames? I have one in the shed.

 

[gmonag]

... as already mentioned suggest you should check how heavy your hive is by 'hefting' (as in hefty = heavy) ...

heft
verb

1. lift or carry (something heavy).
   "he lifted crates and hefted boxes"

 

[Will Kevans]

I checked the frames the other day all seem fairly full with honey except the brood frames and one which seems to be fairly empty. Its their first year I got the nuc in late April.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I seem to approach it by lurching from crisis to crisis...

Yep, that's beekeeping in a nutshell!