Too warm to cluster

[jeff33]

Not that I'm complaining of the mild weather but my bees have decided that it's not time to fully cluster yet, especially the polyhives.

Lots flying around and their stores are getting lower and lower with fondant getting eaten in a few hives.Worrying considering it's only mid-December.

 

[Bryang]

Up here in the Rhondda hills it's been wet and cold for quite a while...my bees have stayed in doors for sometime, haven't seen any flying for over 3 weeks....Checked the fondant today and hefted the hives, all OK so far.

 

[Millet]

Not that I'm complaining of the mild weather but my bees have decided that it's not time to fully cluster yet, especially the polyhives.

Lots flying around and their stores are getting lower and lower with fondant getting eaten in a few hives.Worrying considering it's only mid-December.

The poly nuc i have here in the garden has not clustered.. the only reason i know is to take the roof of and look through the clear crown board to check fondant levels.. even with -0 temps they are still having a party and running around the place like mid summer..
So i gather my Full Poly hives are doing the same..

 

[jeff33]

I had to put a 2.5kg slab of fondant on my dble polynuc.

 

[Poly Hive]

I have seen bees in poly not clustered at minus 2C. Quite normal.

I don't autumn feed at all and put on fondant starting in Jan.

PH

 

[Karsal]

Not that I'm complaining of the mild weather but my bees have decided that it's not time to fully cluster yet, especially the polyhives.

Lots flying around and their stores are getting lower and lower with fondant getting eaten in a few hives.Worrying considering it's only mid-December.

Same here in Lancashire. Fondant being eaten and hives beginning to become light. All mine are poly hives and unless its really cold they do not seem to cluster. They can be seen wandering around under the clear crown board. I check my hives every two weeks.

 

[Hivemaker.]

When did people on here with hives that need feeding now finish their winter syrup feeding and have them up to weight?

 

[jeff33]

When did people on here with hives that need feeding now finish their winter syrup feeding and have them up to weight?

I started feeding mine Mid-september until mid - October I think? I was under the impression that it gets too cold after that for water evaporation. I am also working with different lines of bees this year and haven't overwintered them before.

 

[GuyNir]

Fondant put on all hives which are not double brood. Some hives flying sometimes and some not. Most seem to cluster, but probably not continuously as stores are running low. Not sure what to make of this ‘winter’, probably just keeping an eye on things throughout.

 

[SDM]

I started feeding mine Mid-september until mid - October I think? I was under the impression that it gets too cold after that for water evaporation. I am also working with different lines of bees this year and haven't overwintered them before.

Its barely "too" cold now. I feed to the end of the ivy flow. If theyre still bringing it in they can process nectar. The ivy brings a surge in brood rearing too which will burn through stores. Mid November is typical ( whatever typical is) for me to stop feeding in North Wales.

 

[Murox]

When did people on here with hives that need feeding now finish their winter syrup feeding and have them up to weight?

Thats a very interesting question.
In my case with a "new" hive and wetter warmer windy conditions I have only in the last couple of weeks stopped feeding thymolised syrup and left them with a slab of fondant. Other than vaping quite soon I shall leave them undisturbed until , probably mid February, just depends on the weather, then ensure good stores and that all is well in anticipation of a glorious spring.

 

[birdsandbees]

mine have all been active and actively eating all of their stores!
one hive which was fed syrup up until the end of September also had a full Super on top which has all gone! I did wonder whether they had been Robbed but then others in the same Apiary are also getting worryingly Light.
I haven't had to even consider adding Fondant until Feb until this 'Winter' and have been more concerned about being honey bound in the spring, not so this year, Fondant on already and more boxes of it in the bee shed ready to go on.

 

[mbc]

When did people on here with hives that need feeding now finish their winter syrup feeding and have them up to weight?

Still going around witha few cans of syrup in the truck here as I'm finding quite a few worryingly light.

 

[Beefriendly]

one hive which was fed syrup up until the end of September

I don't start feeding mine until the end of September and continue through into Nov.
All are heavy and finer. No fondant required on any at the moment

 

[Finman]

.
IT is strange that hives have consumed winter food 3 months and now they need emergency feeding. And you have black bees which should be good winterers.

 

[Stiffy]

.
IT is strange that hives have consumed winter food 3 months and now they need emergency feeding. And you have black bees which should be good winterers.

Nothing to do with black, blue or yellow bees
I would suggest that people have misjudged the amount of stores on hives when autumn feeding and are now finding the hives 'light'.
S

 

[Hivemaker.]

I don't start feeding mine until the end of September and continue through into Nov.
All are heavy and finer. No fondant required on any at the moment

Much the same here, start winter feeding in October through until early November, all usually good then until around mid March, early April...feeding during September would be far too early.

 

[birdsandbees]

I don't start feeding mine until the end of September and continue through into Nov.
All are heavy and finer. No fondant required on any at the moment

oops! sorry started feeding end of September, stopped end of October.

I probably did stop too early but then I leave a full Super on and this has always been sufficient for them, just that this year it clearly wasn't.
lesson learnt - I'll feed, feed, feed next Autumn until they are rammed.

 

[Hivemaker.]

oops! sorry started feeding end of September, stopped end of October.

I probably did stop too early but then I leave a full Super on and this has always been sufficient for them, just that this year it clearly wasn't.
lesson learnt - I'll feed, feed, feed next Autumn until they are rammed.

What weight were they at the end of October when you finished feeding ? if super and most of brood box was full it means they have consumed the best part of 70lb of stores in just under six weeks.

 

[The Poot in Somerset]

In a previous post I reported I have a problem because I took notice of the many "experts" who teach that the bees can't deal with syrup from late September as the temperatures dip at night. Now my colonies are light and getting through fondant at a rate of knots, despite having a full super left on. Lesson learned and won't make the same mistake next year. Just hope I can get them through this Winter.....