What do wild bees do when....

[kazmcc]

We've just been to check out the girls. They have used nearly all the stores and we have tons of brood. They are looking good. My question is what do wild bees do when they run out of stores? We will be feeding ours now regularly. It just got me wondering.

 

[BobH1]

The same as when the are looked after by a beekeeper and run out of stores - they starve (and die). Of course a wild colony won't have had all its stores removed in the autumn either

 

[kazmcc]

We didn't take anything in autumn. Everything they stored from the time we got them on 1st July, to the time they settled for winter, they kept. They have very little patches of that left.

 

[TOBY-3652]

Just a queary what will you be feeding them with?? Fondant or one to one syrup??

 

[Midland Beek]

Some strains of bees have different biological clocks to others. Native strains were noted for small winter populations and a longish break from brood rearing, hence the usage of less foodstores.

But modern strains of bees in the UK these days are different. More brood rearing and milder winters mean that larger reserves are food are needed.

 

[kazmcc]

Just a queary what will you be feeding them with?? Fondant or one to one syrup??

We'll be feeding fondant until late March. I asked my mentor today as I read you could feed syrup from mid March and he told us to replace the fondant in two weeks. So probably feed fondant in two weeks then move to one to one.

 

[TOBY-3652]

Thats what i was told fondant till end of march then a little 1-1

 

[peteinwilts]

We didn't take anything in autumn. Everything they stored from the time we got them on 1st July, to the time they settled for winter, they kept. They have very little patches of that left.

a couple of possible issues here... if the hive was a NUC last year, they would have spend a lot of their stores on rearing the brood. Last summer\autumn was quite crappy and may not have had sufficiant stores to run through Winter.
I did not take honey from some of my smaller hives, and they took 20 litres of syrup before winter. (if they have too much, i will take it back in spring)

the second issue is, it is too early for examining the hive at the moment. The heat can disipate from the hive very quickly, meaning you threaten your bees with a chill, or at best, they use more stores to bring them back to temperature.

I do not look at my hives until it is 15 degrees. (a little bit cooler than T-Shirt weather for Southern softies)

If you have genuine concerns, pop a few of Kilos of fondant in there and retreat until spring. If there is any left when it is warm, wrap it up and keep it until autumn...

 

[Finman]

My question is what do wild bees do when they run out of stores?

They will die.

 

[kazmcc]

When I say checked them out, he didn't do a full on inspection. It was very warm here today, 10 degrees by the car thermometer. He came down to put some fondant in, but took advantage to have a look around the super. He took the middle frame out then checked the others in situ, but there was brood up there with very little stores left. He is assuming the situation is the same deeper down. Advised to replace the fondant in two weeks.

 

[iball]

a couple of possible issues here... if the hive was a NUC last year, they would have spend a lot of their stores on rearing the brood. Last summer\autumn was quite crappy and may not have had sufficiant stores to run through Winter.

Last summer\autumn was brilliant up here, with nectar coming in from the balsam right up until the first frosts. I'm only a few miles from Kaz and a few hundred feet further up.

I do not look at my hives until it is 15 degrees. (a little bit cooler than T-Shirt weather for Southern softies)

I always thought that Wiltshire was in the deep south!!

I agree though, it's little cool to be lifting the crown board, well it is around here anyway. I'm chomping at the bit to get stuck in though, I was told that bee keeping would teach me patience if nothing else.

Ian

 

[kazmcc]

I agree, it was a good season, and my mentor told me they had ample stores. I will learn these things lol. It was gorgeous here today, we had 10 degrees at the time he turned up. I think he needed to assess what was going on as he can't make it down that often, and needs to advise us as we know nothing lol, so he took advantage for a quick peep in the super. We had to take the CB off anyway to replace the fondant, they seem to prefer it straight on the frames. We've been advised to feed again in two weeks then at the end of March switch to one to one. I hope I remember all this for next year! They'll be my responsibility then.

 

[peteinwilts]

I always thought that Wiltshire was in the deep south!!

ah! but I am a midlander! (gary lineker part of the country!)

 

[Erichalfbee]

What sort of bees are they, Kaz?

 

[kazmcc]

What sort of bees are they, Kaz?

Carnis. These are the most sweet, well mannered bees there ever was

 

[Hombre]

Prolific too. I take it that you will have spare kit ready, come the time . . .

 

[richardbees]

The recent HUGE increase in new beekeepers has created an instant massive demand which suppliers have filled (imho in a lot of cases) with weak Nucs which didn't stand much chance of building up enough to get through the winter.

Anybody else agree with this?

 

[RoofTops]

Kaz, tell your Mum to stop playing wth sandcastles and feed the bees!

 

[louiseww]

Here in Eastbourne in February we were advised to feed 1:1 syrup- suppose it is more like the French Riviera down here though! ha!
Louise

 

[Skyhook]

Kaz, tell your Mum to stop playing wth sandcastles and feed the bees!

Either you've misunderstood the picture... or I have, and Kaz has a really tiny mum!