Thymolated syrup

[Moggs]

Talking of thymolated.... I haven't had much chance to inspect for over a week and so nipped over to the apiary yesterday to see if the bees needed more feed. I was quite surprised to find that they hadn't touched the jumbo feeders of thymolated that I had put on earlier. A little concerned, I had a quick look at the hives and found worrying developments.

I should say at this point that the bees were getting quite a thymol hit as I have Apiguard on too and wanted to see if they would feed at the same time (a calculated risk on my part as I know that this is a contentious issue). My concern was that in at least three of the four hives, I had only one or two frames of brood and apparently no eggs. A couple of hives had plenty of stores and the two others could do with a boost.

In one hive the bees seemed to be quite fewer in number, leading me to think that they had taken a flyer, so much so that I am now thinking of combining with a stronger colony. I didn't look for a queen and eggs. (I didn't dwell as it wasn't too warm).

I believe that queens go 'off lay' with Apiguard but I was quite surprised at the overall depleted state of these colonies (egg and brood) in such a space of time, as if they had all emerged with no more in the offing. I'm quite concerned, especially as we need winter bees!

I will probably take the thymolated syrup off and let them sit out the Apiguard for a while before reassessing the situation in a week.

Thoughts anyone?

Never a dull moment.

 

[jezd]

Never had a single colony refused thymolated syrup, not once.

Strange really.

is the Syrup directly above the apigaurd?

 

[Moggs]

Hi Jezd. Ths syrup is in jumbo feeders (plastic bulk jobby from Mais***re) and yes, they are sitting atop the Apiguard on an eke. Perhaps they're weight conscious bees on some weird bee diet.... but they're certainly not interested at the moment. I'm 'feeding' two colonies with the thymolated syrup. Late in August, the other two colonies shifted a gallon of plain syrup each and this is clearly stored away in the frames.

I think I'll take the syrup off and try again with thymol and maybe plain later in the month after Apiguard.