treat or feed first

[woz&michbees]

Hi all im new to bekeeping this year and had a fairly good year 52lbs of honey from 3 supers. One swarm captured and rehomed and doing well (I think).
Started with one hive now got two from swarm.

I know it is the time of year to be harvesting honey from my bees, but also time to consider both varroa treatments and or feeding.

Do I feed the bees and then treat?
do I treat bees then feed?
Do I feed with supers in place?

Do I remove supers for winter and leave just brood box on?

Do I insulate the hive?

Just some question I after the answers for
Can anybody help?

Thanks and regards
Warren

 

[Cazza]

Hi.

Do I feed the bees and then treat?
do I treat bees then feed?

Depends on the stores currently in your brood chamber and access to any nectar in the next few weeks. You might need to feed first or you may not.

Do I feed with supers in place?

No, not unless you are sure the syrup feed will be gone by next season, otherwise you may end up with some syrup honey which is unsaleable.

Do I remove supers for winter and leave just brood box on?

Some leave one super on. Some don't. A lot depends on your confidence level and experience. It would help to know your hive type here. Some super under, some over.What ever you do, remove Q excluder.

Personally I do not leave a super on.

Do I insulate the hive?

Lots do but many don't. No need if your hive is poly. I insulate over the crownboard which is quite common practice.

Cazza

 

[woz&michbees]

Thanks cazza

All very interesting next question is when do I treat for winter (varroa)?

Your thought please?

thanks

Warren

 

[woz&michbees]

when do i start feeding

Oh and when do I start feeding?

 

[Arfermo]

Treat first and feed heavy syrup after. Apiguard is best but needs current temperature levels for best effect. Treatment cycle lasts 4 weeks or more. Better than sugar syrup is Ambrosia as it is partially inverted already which enables the bees to eat it without indigestion. Oxalic early Jan.

 

[itma]

...
Just some question I after the answers for
Can anybody help?

Thanks and regards
Warren

Harvest - Treat - Feed if needed to achieve 40lb/20kg stores (feeding might include scavenging extracted frames) - then Insulate (optional)

Warren, are you a member of your local Beekeeping Association?
Well worth having a few local Beek pals ...

 

[Cazza]

Whatever you do, check that your bees have enough stores to last before you start feeding in earnest. Several of mine are light at the moment and so I have been feeding over the past week and will start Apiguard today. Slightly later than I wanted but better than having starved bees whilst I treat. I find treating often puts them off feeding so I don't often do both together.
Cazza

 

[Arfermo]

Whatever you do, check that your bees have enough stores to last before you start feeding in earnest. Several of mine are light at the moment and so I have been feeding over the past week and will start Apiguard today. Slightly later than I wanted but better than having starved bees whilst I treat. I find treating often puts them off feeding so I don't often do both together.
Cazza

Agree it is getting later than desirable for Apiguard and feeding really needs to be done after. Sept/Oct is usually the best for feeding to carry them through to Xmas as it isnt temperature sensitive like Apiguard. Feed but only if they haven't enough already. Thymol can afferct the laying rate but they get used rto it after a couple of days and carry on regardless. Feeding needs watching - hefting tells all. Overfeeding meeans they might store it where the last layings by the queen might go.

 

[susbees]

OP, have you actually GOT measurable varroa?

Out of 28 tested hives here only two register as needing treatment t all (using the FERA varroa calculator).

If they don't need it, no need to treat at all.

 

[SixFooter]

OP, have you actually GOT measurable varroa?

Out of 28 tested hives here only two register as needing treatment t all (using the FERA varroa calculator).

If they don't need it, no need to treat at all.

I know this is a principle of IPM and prophylactic treatment is not recommended, but I just treat every colony. 3 years ago, I did a drop count for all colonies before treatment, but then went on to treat all of them. All treated colonies produced a massive varroa drop and there was very little difference between those with a high initial drop and those with a low one.