Robin_Bee,
I'm not saying don't feed. You must ask yourself how you think your bees are doing, the amount of stores and the situation. Are they still working hard, if the weather is kind, etc.
I know this year has been a strange one and the nights have been quite bitter lately but then we get a day like today where it's baking.
If you think your bees are light on stores then feed them, I'm just saying not to think 'right, Autumn feed time' just because it's what beekeepers do in Autumn, rather than feeding if it's required.
The huge colony I mentioned above was bought as a nuc in April last year. It was a thriving nuc and had a healthy supply of stores. The weather was good and the bees were foraging well so I decided against a feed and simply hived them with the intention of keeping a close eye on them. They became my most productive colony, giving me five supers of honey and still bringing the Balsam in late into October. They gave me quite a problem space wise, trying to squeeze them into brood and half and I'm happy to say they are the same again this year. None of my colonies were fed in Spring, they had sufficient stores from Winter and they all built up perfectly well.
If it's your first year or so, I can well imagine your concern. If in doubt, give them a feed, if they don't want it they won't take it.
I'm not saying don't feed. You must ask yourself how you think your bees are doing, the amount of stores and the situation. Are they still working hard, if the weather is kind, etc.
I know this year has been a strange one and the nights have been quite bitter lately but then we get a day like today where it's baking.
If you think your bees are light on stores then feed them, I'm just saying not to think 'right, Autumn feed time' just because it's what beekeepers do in Autumn, rather than feeding if it's required.
The huge colony I mentioned above was bought as a nuc in April last year. It was a thriving nuc and had a healthy supply of stores. The weather was good and the bees were foraging well so I decided against a feed and simply hived them with the intention of keeping a close eye on them. They became my most productive colony, giving me five supers of honey and still bringing the Balsam in late into October. They gave me quite a problem space wise, trying to squeeze them into brood and half and I'm happy to say they are the same again this year. None of my colonies were fed in Spring, they had sufficient stores from Winter and they all built up perfectly well.
If it's your first year or so, I can well imagine your concern. If in doubt, give them a feed, if they don't want it they won't take it.
