Winter feeding

[glannin]

Have received some info this week from NBU about winter survival and rescuing a starving colony. They give 4 suggestions; 1 feed honey, 2 feed sugar syrup, 3 spray with weak sugar syrup, 4 feed fondant.

As a newbie, I thought you could only feed fondant at this time of year so would be interested to know if anyone has done anything different ?

 

[Finman]

.
If my hive has urgent lack of food, I pour into combs 60% syrup.
They need it several litres.

Sprey on syrup means that they must be in choma allredy.

 

[Midland Beek]

You contacted the NBU for advice on your colony? That is a bit like calling an ambulance if you have a cold.

 

[Firegazer]

I got an email with this advice in it on the 27th from the NBU - guess everyone registered on BeeBase does?

FG

 

[oliver90owner]

I read your post. It says 'rescuing a starving colony'
There is more than a subtle difference between normal winter feeding and the above.

A 'starving colony' will be dead in a very short time-space and needs emergency resuscitation. A colony which is 'getting light on stores' is not the same and just needs extra food supplied, but will become a starving colony in the near future, if nothing is done to avoid that scenario.

RAB

 

[glannin]

You contacted the NBU for advice on your colony? That is a bit like calling an ambulance if you have a cold.

No I didn't contact them. If you register on Beebase, they automatically send out e mails .

 

[glannin]

Thanks Rab. I certainly hope to avoid 'starving colony' scenario. I was just interested to know if a starving colony would actually take down syrup at this time of year and to know if anyone has had experience of this? Just trying to increase my knowledge.

 

[glannin]

Thanks very much for your info.