Warwickshire Beekeepers' Association (WBKA)

Angela Lee · Joined: 21 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

I saw my bees the other day (hurrah) - they were moving around inside the hive. I put some sugar syrup out just in case they were hungry. I know there are pro's and con's between syrup and fondant. And yet another website claims that if you need to give a spring feed you haven't done the winter feed calculation right and ought to be reported to the RSPCA - which seemed a bit harsh. I hefted the hive, and obviously it was lighter than last Autumn. I just thought it had been so cold, they deserved a bit extra. What are the signs of a hungry bee please?

Robert_Brenchley · Joined: 08 Dec 2008 Posts: 21

If the hive feels light, put some feed on. I don't think you can tell from the bees' behaviour! I've put syrup on at this time before now, but they tend not to take much until the amount of brood increases, regardless of anything else.

I don't think anythone can complain if hives need feeding this year, after two dreadful summers, and two bad winters. I don't normally feed at all, but I've been doing it like mad this year, simply because there's so little left in the hives.

What's the site with the noinsense about the RSPCA? Someone doesn't know what they're on about.
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Regards,

Robert Brenchley

Peter Spencer · Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 11

Hi Robert, I think it is a bit early to feed colonies with sugar syrup at this time of year. In an emergency you can place a 1k bag of sugar over the feed hole after first making a hole in the side of the bag with your thumb and pouring a little water into ther sugar. However a block of candy/fondant is much better. Leave the liquid feed until the weather gets much warmer

Robert_Brenchley · Joined: 08 Dec 2008 Posts: 21

If they're really short, you're probably right. This year they've all got candy that's been on since November. Previously, when I've done spring feeding at all, I've put syrup on about this time, and left them to take it when they were ready. I find they ignore contact feeders if they don't need feeding.

A lot depends on the strain too. One strain I had would have all the foragers on pollen for as long as they had syrup in the hive, atleast in spring. So the hive entrances would be a mass of bees carrying great yellow gobs of willow pollen. The trouble with those was thay they overbrooded. Every year, when we got a few days bad weather in May, they'd have startved brood. The first time I saw it I panicked, thinking it was EFB.
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Regards,

Robert Brenchley