What goes on in there?

[Drinkstone]

My first bees and hives delivered and placed next to a field of rape on Thursday. Bees out and happy when sun shines, but thats the problem the sun hasn't shone and its wet and cold and no sign of bees. My instinct is to leave alone my concern is what are they feeding on? Any views appreciated folks.

 

[region2]

If it came with stores and they're not flying then they'll be eating into the stores. You might want to consider feeding them a bit while this turn of weather lasts but not so much that they restrict the queens abilty to lay by clogging up the comb...

R2

 

[Dishmop]

I pressume they had some stores on frames when you got them?

 

[Davelin]

Are they nucs or full colonies? Have you looked through them at all? Do they have any stores?

If they are established they will hopefully have some stores and brought in some pollen so they will be like the rest of us, stuck inside watching telly on a wet bank holiday.

If no stores then they may need a feed of syrup.

 

[enrico]

Stick your ear to the side of the hive. Give the hive one good tap and listen for the buzz. If it is a good strong buzz then things are not too bad. If you hardly get any noise then feed..
You don't want them in nucs next to OSR. Get them in full size hives at first opportunity
E

 

[iand]

If they are still in nuc box and with the warm weather we have had brood rearing will have kicked off in a big way. Eggs laid on those nice warm days will still want feeding even if the temps are cooler. As they eat through the food this creates space for the Q to lay, creating more demand for food later on. Their limited stores may well run out very quickly especially if there is no incoming food, a careful watch is needed.
Ian

 

[MuswellMetro]

boil 500mm of water and add 500g of sugar and stir until dissolved

get a 1lb jar and spike the lid with 10-20 holes ( small nail and hammer)

fill the jar to the top with the sugar syrup ,screw on the spiked lid and invert it over the feed hole/porter escape hole ( block any other holes up in the crown board)

place an empty super around the jar then add the roof,

check regularly if they are taking the syrup down and repalce when necessary and remove the jar and syrup if it gets warm and the bees forage

dont feed to much as they will store it rather than eat it

 

[Drinkstone]

Seems that the opinion is to have feed available, they are in full size hives with one brood box.

 

[itma]

My first bees and hives delivered and placed next to a field of rape on Thursday. ... my concern is what are they feeding on?

Seems that the opinion is to have feed available, they are in full size hives with one brood box.

The supplier perhaps ought to have indicated something about the stores situation within your purchase.
Bees naturally store enough to get themselves through lean times - particularly the long winter.
But right now, normally stores would be low-ish and the number of bees to feed increasing rapidly - so its an important time of the year to know what the situation actually is.
Beekeepers get experience of estimating the stores, without opening up, by feeling the weight of their hives ("hefting"). But you won't have that yet. Never too soon to start feeling the weight though.

Thing is, very soon after a colony gets onto flowering rape, they can bring in so much that they run out of space before you notice it. That would be particularly so with the relatively small brood box on the WBC. (So make sure you have a super or two absolutely ready to add at short notice. Or are they already on the hives?)

The problem is that you don't seem to know whether you are closer to feast or famine.
If you can't get guidance from your supplier (shame), then the risk of not feeding (starvation) has a bigger downside than the risk of overfeeding (swarming from a hive with not enough freespace).

So feeding a little (a pound or two of sugar, as syrup) is probably the safe option.
That is until you can grab a weather opportunity for a quick look (something like 10c and good sun, at a minimum).

For a "quick look" you need to be looking for two things in the brood chamber
- at least one or two frames seriously heavy (pretty full) with honey --and --
- at the very least a couple of frames of comb that are half empty - without stores or brood, just empty cells (but hopefully not a box half full of completely empty combs, or of frames with foundation rather than comb)
And close up again as soon as those observations are made.

If you've got some stores and some space, then relax until the weather gives you a chance for a proper inspection...
If not, give them more space or more food... as appropriate.


For making the syrup, add the hot water to the sugar (off the heat), stir to dissolve and then leave to cool.


ADDED --- of course you shouldn't be feeding syrup with (honey crop) supers on the hive ... !

 

[RoofTops]

I have to say I wouldn't recommend putting your first bees in a field of OSR.

The OSR is going to create a number of issues which are not a major problem for an experienced beekeeper but how confident are you about:

Opening up what could turn out to be a very strong colony and one which might also need extra brood space?

Even if they are new queens you might get queen cells being built.

The bees are likely to be bit fiesty, especially when the OSR is over.

The honey must be extracted and it will set quickly. Do you have enough supers? Do you have a warming cabinet for melting it later as bottling OSR directly after extraction will probably not give the best textured honey?​

To be honest I suggest taking the bees somewhere they can build up slowly on flowers such as conkers, which are coming out soon, and well away from OSR - 3 miles or more. They will still fly to it but the effect will be reduced.

But if you want a steep learning curve and have local advice to hand then you may want to give it a try - but I didn't for the first couple of years of beekeeping.

 

[AnotherNewBee]

I have to say I wouldn't recommend putting your first bees in a field of OSR.

I'd better get in touch with all the farmers around me and tell them not to plant OSR, then. As far as I can see the only other choice will be mile after mile of grass, and lots of pet horses.

Actually, my first colony will probably be acquired after the OSR has gone but - events being as unpredictable as they often are - I couldn't guarantee that.

Fortunately local advice will be to hand.

 

[justme]

Think RT means, if you have a choice:.) Lots of areas beeks have to take their bees to OSR. If all around you then steep learning curve, need to be ready for it. Better to know than not to, hope you agree:.)

 

[REDWOOD]

If your bees are starving mix a weak syrup and put into a spray bottle and spray the bees to give them immediate energy and place a feed on top

 

[itma]

If your bees are starving mix a weak syrup and put into a spray bottle and spray the bees to give them immediate energy and place a feed on top

Yes, but ... he doesn't know whether or not they are starving, and is reluctant to open up in this poor weather.
That's his primary concern.

Hence the suggestion of providing some (but not a lot of) food. Should tide them over until opening up properly becomes practical, and should they be perfectly OK, it shouldn't be enough to create a storage-space problem.

Fingers crossed for an inspection weather window, and if they are clean out of stores, sure, spray some syrup. Or even dribble some over a frame of empty comb.
But only if actually needed...

 

[AnotherNewBee]

What about getting a friendly experienced beek to heft the hive? Would he be able to tell from that, or would he need to have hefted it before to know what he's dealing with?

 

[itma]

What about getting a friendly experienced beek to heft the hive? Would he be able to tell from that, or would he need to have hefted it before to know what he's dealing with?

Tricky, especially with it being a WBC. They don't all weigh the same ...
I think most (EDIT or at least many) here might nip out quickly anytime the rain eased off, for a 30 second peek - and then know what they are dealing with.
But there ought to have been some indication from the supplier. Otherwise its a "pig in a poke" that has been bought.

 

[Drinkstone]

Wow, brilliant replies and lots of good advice many thanks! The supplier has looked prior to moving the hives and all was well at the time and plenty of stores, it is only my own inexperience that makes me concerned. In fact the bees were flying well but the weather has changed so dramatically that not a lot is going on now.
I do have a beek in my village who has 40 years experience and has agree to be my mentor, he came round at lunchtime today and we lifted the lid of one hive and took a very very quick peek, lots of actve bees no agression but certainly alive! Our decision is to give it until the weekend and hope for a weather window when we will either leave alone add a super or feed. Friday is where we hope to be.
So all in all and particularly with the help of my mentor and this forum and the fact that OSR is everywhere steep learning curve here we come with the knowledge that we can deal with the possible problems.

 

[AnotherNewBee]

Think RT means, if you have a choice:.) Lots of areas beeks have to take their bees to OSR. If all around you then steep learning curve, need to be ready for it. Better to know than not to, hope you agree:.)

Probably a timely warning. OSR fields starting to turn yellow, basic course starts next weekend. I could just imagine someone telling me they have a spare colony looking for a home...

I've been keeping an eye on local forage recently. Almost everything west/south of me seems to be grass and livestock. Almost everything that isn't grass and livestock east/north of me is OSR.

 

[enrico]

Well done.... The bees will do all they can to survive without our help so very often we worry needlessly, however I do appreciate your concerns and in about thirty years you won't be any the wiser to what they are thinking!!!

 

[itma]

... we lifted the lid of one hive and took a very very quick peek, lots of actve bees no agression but certainly alive! Our decision is to give it until the weekend and hope for a weather window when we will either leave alone add a super or feed. Friday is where we hope to be.
...

1/ According to my weather forecast, tomorrow (Tuesday) lunchtime could be as good as it gets for the next week or so. YMMV and put your trust in whichever forecast(s) you choose!

2/ I really, really, do like see-through crown boards, which allow you to see in without completely opening up.

Enjoy your bees!