Winter is not over...

[Poly Hive]

http://news.uk.msn.com/uk/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13403044&ocid=today

Stimulative feeding? Not yet please.

PH

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Stimulative feeding? Not yet please.

PH

Is fondant Stimulative feeding?

 

[victor meldrew]

Stimulant feeding is the contact feeding of 1 to 1 sugar syrup, the idea being to simulate a honey flow and hopefully get the Queen into lay .

Feeding fondant/ candy is to provide sugar in a form to simulate winter stores .

John Wilkinson

 

[Poly Hive]

John has the right of it.

I put up the post as a warning as some were champing at the bit a tad on the early side and were/are liable to do serious damage to their ladies.

PH

 

[Finman]

.
Stimulation affects only if the hive has a lot of pollen stores.

When bees emerge 3 weeks later, they need much pollen to eate that they become ready bees.

It is vain to give sugar if they have winter stores in their hives. It just stuck the spring laying area.

Emergency feeding is another issue than stimulation.

Winter is such a time that let bees stay in peace and don't disturb them.

 

[raysa]

Feeding intended to stimulate egg-laying was often recommended years ago, but is much less favoured these days.

However, there is less agreement about what should be fed to bees if a colony is found to be very short of stores at this time of year and emergency feeding is needed to combat starvation. Many people favour fondant. Some advise against sugar syrup but others say it is OK if put close enough to the nest in a frame feeder. Opinions seem to change on this ... what are the views here?

Ray

 

[Poly Hive]

"Feeding intended to stimulate egg-laying was often recommended years ago, but is much less favoured these days."

Much less favoured by whom Ray?

I personally don't see it as stimulative per se more an insurance policy and stress reliever esp for weaker colonies.

I give both pollen and syrup, and yes I hear the argument constantly that the bees bring in pollen and water. Of course they do, WHEN THEY CAN FLY.

On the days they CANNOT fly they have the goodies to hand. That in turn avoids them being held up and so the colony move on faster. That is my take on it and it works for me.

PH

 

[grizzly]

John has the right of it.

I put up the post as a warning as some were champing at the bit a tad on the early side and were/are liable to do serious damage to their ladies.

PH

I think you have misread the posts PH, nobody thinks it's spring yet, we were merely highlighting our frustrations, and mentioning what will be done when spring actually arrives.

 

[Poly Hive]

Never under estimate Bee Fever.

PH

 

[Finman]

.
In Finland February is the coldest month. Spring begins in April, - if begins.

 

[hedgerow pete]

If you have a bee shed like me you can have an entrance inside this will allow the bees to fly inside the shed , i have not tried it yet but they have used bee sheds abroad for years is there anyone out there apart from me that uses one, i did a quick inspection of the hive three weeks ago in the winter warmth, my ladies have a good amount of stores but looked to be running low on pollen so i have put 250 grams on top of the brood for them. i dont belive in putting gallons of syrup on top of a brood bow in the spring any way they take it down there is not much room for the queen to lay my lot store it every where, its better for me to use a 300ml jam jar and to fill this up every few days that way thet have enough for the present needs and a little bit to store

 

[Poly Hive]

A wee suppie of syrup in spring does wonders. So does a frame feeder.

I have used a bee shed in the past, sort of inherited it when I ran Craibstone.

PH

 

[hedgerow pete]

I would love to know your opinion on them or ways to work with or improve

 

[Finman]

I have done those things too and nothing good to say about those acts.


The basic idea in wintering is hat let bees stay in peace untill they start to fly themselves. Inspecting, listening and all kind of watching just disturbs the winter rest.

If you have a bee shed like me you can have an entrance inside this will allow the bees to fly inside the shed , i have not tried it yet

It will not succeed and if it does, the shed will be full of poo and bees too.

my ladies have a good amount of stores but looked to be running low on pollen so i have put 250 grams on top of the brood for them.

That is not needed. To wake bees up and start their brooding makes only harm. I have feeded patty 20 years and I know that.

i dont belive in putting gallons of syrup on top of a brood bow in the spring any way they take it down there is not much room for the queen to lay my lot store it every where,

If colony has good/enough stores, no need to feed them. It helps nothing. It only makes them work and bees will die sooner. Wintered bees are quite weak. Feeding jars make just the heat escape from brood.