When to do Autumn feed a newish nuc

[Skylark]

I have a nuc that I've had for about 6 weeks and have fed it with the weaker 1:1 solution and need to feed again. When should I change to the stronger Autumn 2:1 feed, I was thinking of the 2:1 maybe in late September early October.

 

[huntsman666]

Start it now.

 

[Poly Hive]

Skylark?

Are your bees coming home with a greyish light brown mark on their backs?

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

As late as possible,very small feed at mo,but only if needed,it's bee numbers they need, not a box stuffed full of stores with nowhere for the queen to lay. Any feeding now is best if thick syrup.

 

[Poly Hive]

I suspect they have HB still as I have so it's a bit early to feed yet.

PH

 

[Hivemaker.]

I suspect they have HB still as I have so it's a bit early to feed yet.

PH

Thats where the (only if needed) bit of my post comes in.

Filling every available space with ling around here,stuff is pissing in.

 

[Robin_Bee]

I have been advised to feed my late nuc double strength feed now. After reading the above posts I'm confused. I was also told to feed them while they are taking it. Yesterday, they took 2 litres in 24 hours. Just how often should we be feeding?

 

[WelshPaul]

Right a beginners question here, with the fondant, what's the best way to put it in the hive?


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.666967,-3.017371

 

[Erichalfbee]

Right a beginners question here, with the fondant, what's the best way to put it in the hive?


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.666967,-3.017371

How about this?

 

[WelshPaul]

Have you got a small hole in the underneath of the bag?


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.666967,-3.017371

 

[Erichalfbee]

No
The whole bag is cut in half on three side, opened up like a book and put on the excluder which supports it and stops the fondant disappearing between the frames.
Have a look here
http://www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/PENotes/Fondant.htm

 

[Swarm]

People seem far too concerned with feeding. More important is to observe your bees and what they are doing, check the hive for weight. Do the bees actually need sugar?
I'm less inclined these days to go through the feed process, I'm happier letting the bees look after themselves. All but one of my hives refused Autumn feed last year and the colony that accepted syrup was still huge at the time.

 

[WelshPaul]

Im asking, because Im new, and value people opinion, otherwise I will never learn. Ive always thought it better to ask than to keep quiet.

 

[huntsman666]

<People seem far too concerned with feeding. More important is to observe your bees and what they are doing,..>

Okay, I'll go with the importance of observation and comment that generations of beekeepers have been observing their bees and the view is feed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

People seem far too concerned with feeding. More important is to observe your bees and what they are doing, check the hive for weight. Do the bees actually need sugar?
I'm less inclined these days to go through the feed process, I'm happier letting the bees look after themselves. All but one of my hives refused Autumn feed last year and the colony that accepted syrup was still huge at the time.

I agree.
I have two colonies that are taking feed, I've given them a break for two days while they clean up a super each, and one that is taking very little.
Ivy will be out in the next week or ten days.

 

[Poly Hive]

I have 24 nucs at the moment and I am not feeding them nor my colonies for this reason. There is still a flow from HB on the go, I still have supers on so why spend money on sugar/fondant when they can feed themselves.

I just think it is a bit early to be feeding and by doing so restricting the queens. They are after all producing the winter bees now.

PH

 

[MuswellMetro]

<People seem far too concerned with feeding. More important is to observe your bees and what they are doing,..>

Okay, and comment that generations of beekeepers have been observing their bees and the view is feed.

rather an outdated view,

i have seen more beginner destroy a good nuc by following the feed feed feed route by blocking the brood area with syrup than a more watchful approach and only feed when forage is low or even in spring just leaving them to forage

and by the way i still have not found your reference in Yates to using thymol crystal to treat acarine...and i have looked through all six books the BBKA publish

 

[Swarm]

Okay, I'll go with the importance of observation and comment that generations of beekeepers have been observing their bees and the view is feed.

Let me see if I understand...Your bees have adequate stores and you choose to feed because of generations of beekeepers? Never mind the fact that your bees have enough and are enjoying themselves bringing in more?

My bees are in a similar situation to PH. When I did my beekeepers course, we were told about Spring and Autumn feeding along with other age old practices, we were also told to 'heft' to gain some idea. Nowhere was it suggested that a hive that weighs well over 50lb should be subjected to syrup feed 'because that's what beekeepers do in Autumn.'

 

[Robin_Bee]

I'm just utterly confused. Damned if you do feed now, and damned if you don't.

As we are told to disturb the bees as little as possible, i.e. Weekly at most to assess their needs. How on earth are we as beginners to know what the correct advice is. The weather has been freezing almost here for the past week in Yorkshire until today. It maxed out at 75 deg today. The bees were foraging all day, and taking my 2 litres of syrup as well.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It must depend on where you are, the forage and the weather.
Weather has been so so here but today has been sunny and 20˚ and the bees have been heading over to the fells a mile away where there is heather. They are coming home and landing flat on their noses. There is loads of pollen coming in too.
I looked in a week ago and they all had two or three frames of stores and still lots of brood.
My bees are in a field by the house so I can visit easily so I have decided to put 1 litre rapid feeders on and feed as per weather;feeding if they can't get out.
One colony is refusing my offerings entirely.
Ivy will be out soon so I will probably stop feeding while that is blooming.
I'm a beginner though so I might have it wrong.