Syrup still or am I overfeeding?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The downside of giving up smoking - no empty fag packets to jot things down on so I just keep a few old folded envelopes in my pocket to jot down a few reminders - a few bullet points is enough to remind me when I get home or to the car to fill in the records. But then I've got years of experience of having to write accurate accounts from memory after the event under my belt so a few jottings is a luxury

 

[REDWOOD]

Keep feeding, you need to get all those frames drawn if the queen is up there, less work for bees collecting it from a feeder than out foraging. If the queen runs out of room/cells to lay in you could end up with a swarm on your hands.

When the bees get to the point when they have some honey arcs, STOP

 

[Queen Brenda]

Thanks all. Job done. 1 colony almost fully drawn out in the 14x12 and Q laying in there and so I've taken the syrup off, the other colony slow on the uptake so will continue but there are a couple of frames ready for laying up so more syrup on and we've shaken em all into the new big box and QX on.

 

[BeeJayBee]

What a twit, no I have not. I will do it today when I have a look.

Sorry, that was an answer to Beejaybee's question about whether I have removed empty frames from the old BB. Why didn't I think of that. When I inspect, I have a plan, but it all goes to pieces when I'm looking for BIAS, Q, disease, stores, avoiding people getting under my suit......it's all too much for me.

No, not a twit just busy thinking of something else.

The usual way to start off a Bailey Comb/Frame Change is to leave only the brood frames in the lower box and dummy it down then put new frames directly above them. The bees have to move upwards.

It's easy to forget to do that, so the bees use the outer non-brood frames for storage because it's easier than drawing new comb.

Thanks all. Job done. 1 colony almost fully drawn out in the 14x12 and Q laying in there and so I've taken the syrup off, the other colony slow on the uptake so will continue but there are a couple of frames ready for laying up so more syrup on and we've shaken em all into the new big box and QX on.

That all sounds good.

 

[BrianO]

Our blackthorn has only just opened!

Wow and i thought we were bad re temps, just about finished here

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Sorry, that was an answer to Beejaybee's question about whether I have removed empty frames from the old BB. Why didn't I think of that. When I inspect, I have a plan, but it all goes to pieces when I'm looking for BIAS, Q, disease, stores, avoiding people getting under my suit......it's all too much for me.

Amen. I have to improve on that aspect; either plan for all the contingencies or when we miss one, close up, sit down, deep breath, cup of tea, think. No hurry, no worry. I had a doozie of a hasty reaction on my first challenge of the year, with very bad results that a second's thought would have avoided.

 

[misterbee82]

Here in the United States it's recommended only to feed the syrup if you're introducing them to a new hive, or if there is not plenty of forage and they need a food source. If those circumstances don't present themselves then it is discouraged. Main reason is the honey and wax has a more sugary consistency. Not what a lot of people desire.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Here in the United States it's recommended only to feed the syrup if you're introducing them to a new hive, or if there is not plenty of forage and they need a food source. If those circumstances don't present themselves then it is discouraged. Main reason is the honey and wax has a more sugary consistency. Not what a lot of people desire.

Under Europeon law we have legal limits on the percentage of sugar in honey and it is quite low. our nectar flow has not yet started except on OSR (canola) fields as spring is late this year. The OP is changing the frames in the hives so will stop feeding sugar when the new brood box frames are drawn out, The UK National Bee unit to prevent disease suggests changing one third of brood frames each year or a full box change after two or three years