Too late to feed?

[Pansypots]

Hi, looks the wasps have been busy! I left my bees with a super packed with stores and was treating them with Apiguard. I’ve left them with many wasp traps and whilst the wasps were very busy this year the hive has looked ok. I’ve just been in to do an inspection and all the stores are gone ( in about 10 days) I’ve put a 2:1 syrup into a feeder this morning for them. I’d held off feeding them because of the Apiguard and they did have a huge amount in the super. I suppose my question is if I keep feeding them until they stop taking it down could they make enough for the winter now?

 

[Ian123]

Hi, looks the wasps have been busy! I left my bees with a super packed with stores and was treating them with Apiguard. I’ve left them with many wasp traps and whilst the wasps were very busy this year the hive has looked ok. I’ve just been in to do an inspection and all the stores are gone ( in about 10 days) I’ve put a 2:1 syrup into a feeder this morning for them. I’d held off feeding them because of the Apiguard and they did have a huge amount in the super. I suppose my question is if I keep feeding them until they stop taking it down could they make enough for the winter now?

Not sure on your area but for me loads of time for feeding and am often topping up nucs and the like in November, I am in the sunny south east though. I find they’ll take syrup until you start getting frost and it chills the liquid to a point they don’t touch it. Get a spell of warm weather and off they go again. Ensure your entrance is well reduced, and the bees are occupying the frames by the front door so when clustered in colder temps there’s no unguarded entrance for wasps to sneak in. Also add some thymol, you should be fine. Ian

 

[Pansypots]

Thanks Ian.

Not sure on your area but for me loads of time for feeding and am often topping up nucs and the like in November, I am in the sunny south east though. I find they’ll take syrup until you start getting frost and it chills the liquid to a point they don’t touch it. Get a spell of warm weather and off they go again. Ensure your entrance is well reduced, and the bees are occupying the frames by the front door so when clustered in colder temps there’s no unguarded entrance for wasps to sneak in. Also add some thymol, you should be fine. Ian

I’m in sunny Somerset so hoping for a bit of warm weather still. I’ve got the entrance shut right down but the wasps have been relentless. Are you saying add thymol into the syrup?

 

[Murox]

I just feed 2:1 thymolised syrup as needed (and ensure ± 20kg of winter stores.)

 

[Ian123]

Thanks Ian.


I’m in sunny Somerset so hoping for a bit of warm weather still. I’ve got the entrance shut right down but the wasps have been relentless. Are you saying add thymol into the syrup?

Yes add some thymol rarely see any stores even very late fed fermenting these days and very few cases of nosema. The thymol mix is on a sticky in the forum some place. As above just ensure your brood area is located by the front door particularly when feeding late in cold temps, it ensures any wasp sneaking in a quiet entrance is greater with a cluster of bees not an easy way to sneak around the corner and access stores. 1 of my pet hates of people nadiring at funny times of the year or leaving the box on all winter.

 

[Ian123]

Should also add I would stick with the simple thymol surgical and surgical spirit I’ve not had the need to add the emulsified version

 

[Swarm]

I seem to remember someone else said similar, I find the emulsion mixes more evenly.

 

[Murox]

I seem to remember someone else said similar, I find the emulsion mixes more evenly.

So do I. I only use the emulsified version, other wise the thymol oils just end up floating on the surface.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

never used anything but the emulsion

 

[Ian123]

never used anything but the emulsion

That’s fine use what works for you but I was using thymol long before HM put the recipe for his emulsion on this or any other site or even told me about it. I spoke with him and tried it some time before he posted it here. Even 1 season used on 1 large apiary because I had a drum/mixer there and not on others. Really can say I saw no advantage, certainly can say I’ve seen plenty of advantage in its use in any form though. So pay your money make the choice. It clearly works both ways.

 

[GuyNir]

That’s fine use what works for you but I was using thymol long before HM put the recipe for his emulsion on this or any other site or even told me about it. I spoke with him and tried it some time before he posted it here. Even 1 season used on 1 large apiary because I had a drum/mixer there and not on others. Really can say I saw no advantage, certainly can say I’ve seen plenty of advantage in its use in any form though. So pay your money make the choice. It clearly works both ways.

I also only add thymol. Works for me. Keeping it simple.

 

[North End Bees]

Hi, looks the wasps have been busy! I left my bees with a super packed with stores and was treating them with Apiguard. I’ve left them with many wasp traps and whilst the wasps were very busy this year the hive has looked ok. I’ve just been in to do an inspection and all the stores are gone ( in about 10 days)

Although this has been a good year for the wasps (from their point of view), don't overlook the fact that it may actually be silent robbing by other colonies.
Silent robbing is much less noticeable than the usual black and yellow jersey bandits type, and can go totally unsuspected. A hive can easily be cleared out in your timescales.
See Dave Cushman's page on it here .

In addition to the info on that page, bees can silently rob by begging food through the OMF which nurse bees feed them if they appear to have the familiar colony smell.
If reducing entrances/temporarily closing off OMFs doesn't work, it's probably best to move the hive to another site (same as you might do with ordinary robbing).

 

[Natureboy44]

Although this has been a good year for the wasps (from their point of view), don't overlook the fact that it may actually be silent robbing by other colonies.
Silent robbing is much less noticeable than the usual black and yellow jersey bandits type, and can go totally unsuspected. A hive can easily be cleared out in your timescales.
See Dave Cushman's page on it here .

In addition to the info on that page, bees can silently rob by begging food through the OMF which nurse bees feed them if they appear to have the familiar colony smell.
If reducing entrances/temporarily closing off OMFs doesn't work, it's probably best to move the hive to another site (same as you might do with ordinary robbing).

Had silent robbing in my garden this year, bees being allowed to go in and remove honey unchallenged but would stop and defend against any wasps I am still trying to build that nuc stores back up as the parent colony nearly cleared them all out before they started to defend it properly and stop those bees entering and this was around the time the new queen was back mated and started laying.

 

[North End Bees]

I am still trying to build that nuc back up as the parent colony nearly cleared out all the stores before they started to defend it properly and stop those bees entering.

Yes this type of robbing can happen when making up a nuc. Often advised to move a newly made nuc to a separate site or, if this isn't possible, to close off the entrance with fresh grass for a day or two when older bees should reorientate.